Squad Twelve: A Fresh Start
by MVGLegend
Summary: It's been twenty years since Obito's "Eye of the Moon Plan" failed. Many shinobi have fallen while others have lived on. Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, has assigned Shikamaru Nara his first Genin team. Will the new generation be able to overcome what lies in wait just over the horizon? Includes OCs and a few pairings.
1. Chapter One: A New Beginning

Chapter One- A New Beginning: Shikamaru's Genin Team

The Hokage's Mansion was one of the largest buildings within the boundaries of of Konohagakure. The building itself was red, shaped similarly to a half-circle with various wooden walkways around the side. Overlooking the mansion was the Hokage Mountain, a large rock surface with various Hokage inscribed on the side. The final face in the mountain belonged to the sixth and newest addition to the powerful lineage of Hokage, Kakashi Hatake.

"Glad you could join us," Kakashi smiled, taking a seat in his large blue chair.

The Hokage's Office had been a much cleaner place since Tsunade had retired a few years back. Kakashi normally kept the office very much in order, installing a large bookcase in the left side of the room to help remove most of the clutter. The room itself wasn't very large. Circular in shape, the room had three large windows on the far side, behind the Hokage's Desk, so that Kakashi could overlook the streets of Konoha whenever he saw fit. In the far center of the room, Kakashi sat behind his desk, which hung a banner with the Leaf Symbol imprinted directly on the front.

"Lord Hokage," Shikamaru said quickly, bowing his head in respect. He turned his attention to Guy and did the same.

Shikamaru's appearance remained similar to that of his adolescent counterpart. He possessed rather long, dark hair that was tied back in a pseudo-spiky ponytail. He wore clothing typical of Konoha ninja. A Jonin Level Flak Jacket sat atop a black full-body suit, allowing only his hands, head, and feet to be exposed to the elements. His forehead protector was sewed onto the left arm of his one-piece suit.

"Please," Kakashi said, raising a hand in protest. "Kakashi is just fine."

Kakashi had aged well in the twenty years since the Fourth Shinobi War. His gray hair had remained rather gray, and, even as the Sixth Hokage, Kakashi continued to wear most of his old garb. Like Shikamaru, Kakashi wore a full-body suit, albeit his was blue and had a facemask to cover the Rokudaime's mouth and the bridge of his nose. Kakashi still wore his headband so that it covered his left eye. It was interesting to note that Kakashi found his master's old cloak and had it restored to its former glory. Out of respect for the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Kakashi wore the cloak proudly, making it standard clothing for the Hokage position.

"Sorry…Kakashi-sensei," Shikamaru corrected himself. "Kiba said you needed me."

Kakashi pulled a file from atop his desk and extended it forward, handing the object to Shikamaru. The Jonin opened the folder, scanning the contents contained within. Listed within were three names that and the words "Squad Twelve" written in big red letters on the top of the document.

"As long as those three pass their last test," Kakashi interrupted. "You will be their sensei."

"You're giving me a squad?" Shikamaru said in disbelief, raising a single eyebrow. "I'm not really cut out for this kind of work. Why not ask Tenten? She's been clamoring for a team for years."

"She's a Special Jonin," Kakashi replied. "And this team is a rather…special case."

Shikamaru looked back at the document. This time, making sure to pay close attention to the names written within. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, but this indeed was, as Kakashi put it, a "special case," one that required "special attention."

"So you want me to watch over the 'problem team,'" Shikamaru sighed. Everything about this screamed "troublesome," but he couldn't deny a direct request from the Sixth Hokage. If the Rokudaime Hokage felt he was the best man for the job, then who was he to argue? "Can you give me their names and scores on the first part of the exams?"

Guy took a packet of papers off the Hokage's desk, scanning through until he came across the first name on Shikamaru's list. He couldn't find it at first, but after a moment of searching, Guy was able to locate all three.

Might Guy hadn't changed a bit. He still wore his ridiculous green outfit and was prone to shout random phrases of passion and youth. He still donned his green jumpsuit and wore his read headband around his waist. Like the others, Guy wore a standard issue Konoha Flak Jacket. His bowl haircut had never been altered, even in the slightest.

"The first is Katsu Uchiha," Guy began. The words rung in the back of Shikamaru's mind like a massive gong. Sasuke had been exiled from the village only a few months after Katsu was born and her mother, Karin Uzumaki, had died from an infection during childbirth. Kakashi had taken the child in long ago, raising her as his own. Sometime after her seventh birthday, Katsu had moved out, claiming residence in another part of the village. She was the spitting image of her father, in looks and in personality, a fact that personally worried Shikamaru. "She ranked fourth in the field exam and placed fourth in the written exam."

"Out of how many?" Shikamaru questioned, suddenly more interested in the child.

"There were eighteen in total this year," Kakashi answered. Unaware if Guy already possessed that information, the Hokage decided to answer for him.

Four out of eighteen in both exams most likely placed her near the top of her class. Shikamaru knew his son, Shikawa, had outranked her in the written exam, placing second, but his fieldwork was much less impressive. If his other student's scores to be equally high, becoming a sensei could actually prove to be quite interesting.

"The second is Akira Uzumaki. Says here he placed fifth in the field exam, but was first in the written," Guy continued.

"People are calling him the Shikamaru of the new generation," Kakashi smiled, giving the Jonin a small smile through his mask.

Shikamaru had heard about Akira through his son. Akira had originally been just like his father; he was an overactive goofball who couldn't focus. That was when the other children began to make fun of him. Like Naruto, the child had no bark to back up his bite, but, unlike his father, Akira became incredibly introverted, choosing to spent most of his time in isolation so that he coud study and improve.

"And finally," Guy said, raising a single fist to show his excitement. "Is Kiyoshi Lee! Sixth in the field exam! And twelfth in the written portion! That's my boy!"

"Calm down Guy," Kakashi smiled, humoring his longtime friend.

Shikamaru hadn't heard much about Kiyoshi, a fact he thought was rather strange. He knew Lee's son had been in his son's class, Shikawa had never mentioned that child's name, at least, not a time that Shikamaru could recollect at the moment.

"If you don't mind me asking… why Lee's son?" Shikamaru questioned, sort of confused. Nothing seemed to add up. He understood why the Uchiha and Uzumaki were paired together, that made perfect sense. However, Kiyoshi's scores seemed average at best, creating a weak link on a team that needed to be strong for protection.

Normal teams were based on class ranks. The worst was paired with the best and the most average ninja to create a three-man cell. The only time this rule was ever broken was to create the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho. It was customary for Shikamaru's particular lineage within the Nara clan for each child to be named for the deer. The same went for Choji's son Choya and Ino's daughter Inoki. It was merely customary.

However, Kakashi clearly went to great lengths to break the rules once more. He put two of the strongest ninja from this year together on a team. Why not choose another high-ranked child to fill out the team. Both Akira and Katsu were valuable assets to Konoha, but Kiyoshi…

"Well…" Kakashi began, giving the Jonin a sheepish shrug. "Kiyoshi is nothing like his father. Iruka noted that he was a crybaby and has poor scores in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu."

"I don't follow," Shikamaru shook his head.

"Do you remember that fire a few years back?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head sideways.

How could Shikamaru forget? Iruka had taken his son's class to visit the Hokage's Office to learn to appreciate the role of the Hokage. It was unreported as to whom had originally started the fire, but everyone had a pretty good idea who was behind the burning.

'_Who but the Uchiha would be practicing fire style jutsu?_' Shikamaru frowned, shaking his head.

"Two children didn't make it out of the Mansion before we could subside the fire," Kakashi continued. "Katsu Uchiha and Kiyoshi Lee. Katsu had been closest to the door when the fire started and Iruka, not knowing any Water Style Techniques, ordered the immediate evacuation…"

*** "Alright, everyone out!" Iruka shouted, coughing over the smoke. The frightened children made a break for the door to the Hokage's Office. They were panicking, trying to only save themselves. They didn't give poor Katsu a chance.

Albeit a bit younger, Katsu remained rather similar appearance to her twelve-year-old counterpart. She had long black hair that fell about chest length. To the left side, her hair was rather straight and orderly, but the right had a spikey flare. This similarity in hairstyle seemed to be the only connection Katsu possessed with her mother, Karin Uzumaki. She possessed rather pale looking skin and onyx colored eyes. Her outfit consisted almost entirely of traditional Uchiha clothing. Her high colored, v-neck shirt was colored light gray whilst her shorts were black in color and fell just above her mid thigh. She also dawned a pair of arm warmers, also light gray in color and a necklace that fell just above her chest that had an Uchiha Fan pendant.

She was trampled, thrown down to the ground. Someone along the way took a wrong step, snapping the young child's ankle. Iruka didn't notice her, being one of the first to be out the door. She was in terrible pain, unable to stand. The fire was spreading.

"Help!" she cried, trying desperately to crawl to the staircase. Katsu could hear her voice echo down the spiral stairs, and the fire had not breached the outside hallway.

She felt terribly alone and, for the first time in her life, Katsu felt as though she might die. She called out once more, hoping that anyone would hear her pleas. She hung her head as the smoke began to fill the hallway, igniting the ceiling above her.

"Katsu-san!" a voice called out, coming up the stairs from the long hallway.

Katsu felt the rush of relief as she saw Kiyoshi's head creep into view. Kiyoshi's outfit was much more simpler than his companions. The boy had short, unkempt hair that frayed outwardly near the front and top. He wore black capris that fell to his mid calf and had bandages wrapped around his legs to assist with balance and control. He often dawned a bright green short in reverence for his father and his hero. The child also wore a short-sleeved jacket that was similar in design to Shikamaru's old jacket. On the sleeve sat the spiral symbol that was rather common on much of Konoha attire. To finish off his outfit, Kiyoshi had black gloves like his mother, Sakura Haruno, and metal bracers with green trim.

The young boy rushed to Katsu's side, helping the girl stand to her feet. Katsu couldn't see, but she could hear the boy whimpering as though he was crying. She knew how scared he must've been, but she was thankful that her lifelong friend had come to her aid.

Kiyoshi put Katsu's arm around his, helping the girl slowly take each step down the long hallway. With each foot, the fire would creep faster and faster along the ceiling until it had reached the staircase door on the opposite end. Each step was agonizingly slow and Katsu clung to the hope they would make it out all right.

The ceiling in front of them collapsed, blocking the two students from the exit.

"No!" Kiyoshi screamed, pausing their forward momentum. He didn't know what to do. If they stayed in one place, the smoke and fire would get them. They couldn't sit and wait for someone to rescue them. They had two, three minutes tops before they passed out from lack of oxygen.

"Kiyoshi…" Katsu frowned, trying to smile for her friend. "We'll make it through this."

Kiyoshi closed his eyes and fought back the rest of his tears. He took a deep breath, allowing himself to clear the storm in his mind. He was going to get them out of the fire. He was going to protect them. He just didn't know how…***

"Kiyoshi didn't find a way through the barrier," Kakashi continued. "He stayed there with her, allowing Katsu to use his jacket to breath fresh air. If we hadn't arrive to put out the fire, I'm not sure what would've become of the two."

"So the kid went back in to save his friend?" Shikamaru asked, tilting his head back slightly to indicate his surprise and approval. "Seems pretty brave for a kid of… how old was he? Ten at the time?"

"Guy spoke with him afterwards, making sure he was alright," Kakashi nodded, motioning for his confidant to finish the story.

"I asked Lee why he would risk his life for his friend," Guy said, his fist quivering. Tears began to form in his eyes as Guy could barely contain himself. "He said she his comrade. If he didn't protect her… who would?"

Shikamaru understood. The boy wasn't the strongest or the smartest ninja in the class. He lacked talent and even preformed poorly enough in Taijutsu that he would rank sixth in the field exam. By all standards, Kiyoshi would be an average ninja if he were to pass his final exam the following day.

It wasn't his talents that interested Kakashi. It was his strong sense of friendship and the lengths the boy would go to protect his friend. Kakashi hoped that, with time, Kiyoshi would learn to do the same for Akira because, of course, so much was dependent on his safety.

"_This may be less troublesome than I thought_," Shikamaru smiled with contentment.

"Hey!" Kiyoshi called, waving to his friend.

School had potential let out for the last time. Tomorrow, the children would report to the Ninja Academy one final time and perform the Clone Technique in front of their mentor, Iruka Umino, and the Hokage, Kakashi Hatake. It thrilled Kiyoshi to no end that Guy would also be present at the exam so that the young child could show off his skills to his favorite sensei.

Kiyoshi could make two clones which was better than most of the class. However, a few others were able to create much more. Katsu and Inoki were able to make four separate clones and control each one with their chakra. He was forever amazed by their rivalry- the loudmouthed Uchiha who wouldn't quit and the Yamanaka that was often seen and not heard. Of course there were other ninja in his class. There was Shikawa Nara, Kiyoshi's personal bully and tormentor, and Choya Akamichi, a close personal friend of both Katsu and himself.

"Hey Kiyoshi!" Katsu smiled, running to her friend in the courtyard. She was pleased to no end that tomorrow the two would receive their official Leaf Headbands and earn the rank of Genin. She had hoped the two would be placed on the same team, but she was well aware that notion was a long shot. "Nervous?"

"What, why?" Kiyoshi asked, trying to avoid the question. He didn't want to tell Katsu he was terribly afraid of performing poorly in front of his idol. "We've done the Clone Technique thousands of times."

It was true. The Clone Technique was the first maneuver the children were taught when they were admitted to the Academy a few years ago. If they hadn't mastered the technique by now, it was unlikely they were ever going to become successful ninja. Kiyoshi knew the test was merely to weed out those who would crack under pressure. A ninja was supposed to remain calm in the face of adversity; Kiyoshi had a tendency to panic.

"I've seen Kakashi perform a special technique called the Shadow Clone Jutsu," Katsu said, leading Kiyoshi down the streets of Konoha.

Konohagakure was the largest of the Hidden Villages, possessing the largest population of them all. From anywhere within the walls of the village, one could see the six faces chiseled into the Hokage Mountain. Each building was of varying height, shape, and color; the most prominent archetype was the large, cylindrical shaped buildings that were either blue or orange in color. In the distance, one could see the Hokage Mansion, the largest and most prominent building of all of Konoha which resided just a few blocks away form the Ninja Academy.

"What of it?" Kiyoshi asked, looking at Katsu as they passed by a food cart. Kiyoshi heard his stomach growl and the two decided to order something to eat while they walked.

"The techniques secrets are written on a special scroll of sorts in the Hokage's Mansion," she answered.

"And you obviously think we should steal it?" Kiyoshi frowned, displeased with his friend's disregard for basic rules and regulations.

"Not steal," she corrected. "I'm proposing we borrow it overnight and try to learn the technique for class tomorrow. We'll return it after our exam and we can surprise Kakashi-sensei with the technique."

Kiyoshi generally wasn't one to break rules, even if it was for Katsu. He typically tried to stay in line, but it was true that he was prone to goofing off. Kiyoshi couldn't turn down a chance to impress Guy however, and agreed that it would be pretty beneficial for the two of them to have a look at the technique.

"You know we could never get up there," Kiyoshi signed, taking a bite into his Onigiri. "Besides, I'm eating."

Katsu placed a steam dumpling on her tongue and turned her head, looking rather displeased. She didn't understand her friend's strange fascination with food, especially Onigiri. It was just rice and meat, nothing more. Katsu felt the dumplings from Ichiraku Ramen were much more delectable.

"Come on!" she said with an excited tone, grabbing on to Kiyoshi's arm. She broke into a run and caused the boy to drop his rice ball on the ground. He was devastated, feeling tears begin to well up in his eyes, but he didn't have time to cry. He was moving to quickly down the streets of Konoha. Kiyoshi looked upwards and could see that the duo were headed directly for the huge mansion in the distance.

"There are guards out front," Kiyoshi warned, pointing forward. The mansion possessed a large gate like structure around the front and sides. It was generally an ineffective obstacle as ninja were more than capable of climbing over the sides. Generally guards weren't stationed out front either, but in recent times such measure were deemed "necessary." As long as the threat of war lingered in the background between the Rock and Sand, Kakashi didn't want to take any chances.

"Distract them," Katsu commanded, taking refuge behind a crate on the side of the street. Kiyoshi joined her and the two children cautiously peered at the ninja guarding the front gate. They seemed to be casually talking about something; the children couldn't decipher precisely what they were speaking about, but it was clear their defenses were lowered.

"Why me?" Kiyoshi questioned, pointing to himself.

"Because you suck at Ninjutsu," she answered earnestly. "Distract them and I'll stroll in disguised as Kakashi-sensei! Fool proof plan."

Kiyoshi frowned. He wasn't pleased with the "fool proof plan" Katsu had suggested, partially because it seemed likely that he could be caught and punished. However, since the boy couldn't produce a better plan, he decided it was better than nothing.

Kiyoshi leapt over the crate, staying close to the walls on either side. It was getting late and Kiyoshi had hoped to use the shadows to his advantage. The guards appeared to be Chunin, but it was quite possible they were higher ranked in the Shinobi Corps. Kiyoshi was sure he could sneak up on a Chunin, he had done it millions of times before, but he had never successfully snuck up on a Jonin before.

Kiyoshi met no resistance, slowly approaching the two guards. They were too deep in conversation to care about their surroundings and Kiyoshi capitalized on their carelessness. One of the guards had been caring a stack of papers in his right arm, pressed slightly against his him for support. Kiyoshi's outstretch hand just managed to push away the ninja's arm as they became wary of his presence. By some luck, the wind picked up sending the lose papers flying in the wind.

Kiyoshi panicked, taking off into a fast sprint in the opposite direction, leading the Chunin past the crate behind which Katsu had hidden. He looked back to see the guards gaining on him just as Katsu managed to slip within the walls surrounding the complex.

Kiyoshi performed the clone technique, separating into three separate entities each taking off in a separate direction. The Chunin watched as one Kiyoshi continued down the path ahead while the others traveled down two separate alleyways. Despite Konoha's large size, the village only possessed a few main streets with various alleys to connect them. Children learn at a young age these passageways were the most practical and functional way to travel.

The Chunin followed the two Kiyoshi's that broke off down the different alleyways. In truth, it hadn't mattered which clone they had chosen. The real Kiyoshi had managed to duck into a nearby shop. As the ninja rushed by, Kiyoshi took a great sigh of relief, exiting the store in the hopes of meeting up with Katsu in the mansion.

"Idiots," Kiyoshi heard a voice form behind. Just as he attempted to turn, a single hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Kiyoshi was pretty sure he had heard the man's voice before. It was deep, and sort of raspy. The child tried to turn his head to get a glimpse at the shinobi, but whoever his captor was held him tightly in place.

"Here you are Kakashi-sama," the man sighed, letting go of Kiyoshi's shirt.

The ninja had taken the student to the Hokage's Office, rebuilt since the fire a few years back. Kiyoshi had swore he'd never step foot back in that place. There were so many terrible feelings associated with the narrow hallways that frightened the child to his very core.

The Hokage sat across a long wooden table, with a large tarp draped over front with the Leaf Symbol painted over front. Across from him sat a large red armchair where Katsu sat, her arms folded in defeat. Kiyoshi wasn't sure how she had been caught, but it was clear their plan had completely failed.

"Thank you Shikamaru," Kakashi waved. "I'll deal with these two and we can continue our conversation later. That will be all."

Shikamaru performed a rather lazy looking salute and gave the Hokage a small shrug. He looked at Kiyoshi momentarily so that their eyes locked for a mere moment. The Jonin gave the boy a rather sly looking smile, nodding his head slightly. Kiyoshi wasn't sure why, but he had never personally met Shikawa's father. They had very similar facial structure and build, but their hairstyles were polar opposites. While Shikawa had short, brown hair that he wore down, Shikamaru had a sort of spikey ponytail. He left the room, closing the door behind him.

"We're sorry Kakashi-sensei it was all my idea," Kiyoshi blurted out, throwing his hands down to his sides.

"Kiyoshi!" Kakashi's voice rang in the child's ears like a bell. "While protecting your friends is honorable, taking credit for their follies is detrimental for their success. If we cannot learn from our failures, can we ever really learn at all?"

Kiyoshi took a step back; a look of concern overtook his face. Katsu gave Kiyoshi a small smile, as if to say, "it's okay." The young child looked back to Kakashi, ready to take any punishment that might've come. She knew that she would most likely be severely punished. The Scroll of Seals was an Ancient Tome that inscribed all of the Leafs Forbidden and Hidden Jutsu. For a child to conspire to steal the knowledge within could cause grave consequences. If the tome were to fall into the wrong hands, unspeakable evils could be committed. Who knew what sort of world altering techniques could be found within its pages.

"I apologize, Kakashi-sensei," Katsu stood bowing her head to the Hokage.

"For?" he asked, grabbing a small, sky blue colored scroll from the bookshelf on his right. He tossed it up in the air, spinning it a few times before catching it once more. "There are techniques within this scroll- dangerous maneuvers that could bring about the destruction of the Leaf. However, the Shadow Clone Jutsu is not among them; it is a B-ranked technique that is seen as standard practice for most Chunin-ranked or higher ninja to master. It is the A-ranked version of this technique, the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu that is forbidden as it creates an unimaginable amount of stress on the user."

Kakashi placed the sky blue scroll on the table, showing the children a paper restraint tied around the parchment, keeping the scroll tightly closed. Kakashi removed the paper covering so that he could fully unravel the scroll along his desk. The Hokage took a deep breath, placing his right hand in the center of the scroll so that his hand took up most of the available space on the parchment.

From Kakashi's hand sparked red lines, running along the page in all sorts of strange patterns until it eventually formed a semicircle with both ends of the outline stemming from his thumb and pinky fingers. The word "fire" materialized on the top of the Rokudaime's hand in red lettering, indicating that his Jutsu was complete. There was a puff of white smoke and a strange "pop" noise that startled the children. When the smoke had cleared, the miniscule scroll at disappeared, in its place sat another scroll, considerably large in appearance. Instead of the pleasant sky blue that preceded it, the newer scroll was predominantly dull green in color. Around each end were dark green bands that gave the strange object a small sense of ornateness.

"Is that-" Kiyoshi questioned, extending his right arm as though to touch the object.

"The scroll of Seals!" Katsu exclaimed, finishing her friend's sentence. Katsu jumped to her feet, eager at the sight of the transformation that had just taken place.

"Learn the technique if you so desire. Who am I to forbid you from furthering your knowledge?" Kakashi shrugged. Katsu extended her hand to grab the strap that hung from the side of the scroll. However, just as she did, Kakashi shot her a stern looked that caused the girl to recoil back and drop her hand to her side. "But be warned, creating more clones than your chakra allots could mean your death. Be careful."

Kiyoshi saluted the Hokage, a trait that he had erroneously learned from his father. Katsu lifted the scroll up, placing the strap around her chest so that she could carry the heavy object on her back. The two children didn't look back, eager to learn such an advanced technique. They left without a word, not even a "thank you."

"Do you think that was such a bright idea?" Shikamaru questioned after reentering the room. He had watched the complete ordeal from just outside the doorway, lurking in the shadows. "You're trusting two young children with a dangerous weapon."

"Go after them if you're worried," Kakashi suggested, smiling slightly so that Shikamaru could see the contorts of the man's face through his mask. "Their your subordinates."

"Not yet," Shikamaru countered, responding to the Hokage's smile with a small chuckle of his own. "I'll keep an eye on them. Besides, I think I have a graduation test of my own to give them."

The duo found themselves in the shadow of the Ninja Academy. The playground offered isolation from the busy streets of Konoha, allowing the two children to practice their technique in silence. They had desperately wanted to utilize one of the training grounds, but they were reserved for ninja only; aspiring ninja had to find other places to train and practice their techniques.

The area was rather large and there was relatively little playground equipment to get in their way. To the right stood the school, a building about three stories high that retained a similar style to the Hokage's Mansion. The entranceway was rather small and reddish in color, while the majority of the building was white and possessed reddish shingles on the roof. To their left, stood the playground. At one point, there had been a slide and perhaps even a sand box; Kiyoshi couldn't recall correctly what had once been erected there. They had taken them out long ago to make room for rigorous training sessions, and the only piece of equipment that remained was the swing set as it only took up a small amount of space.

Katsu laid the scroll out along a bench as to not place the priceless artifact on the ground, and quickly scanned the parchment for any words pertaining to the Shadow Clone technique. After a moment, it didn't take particularly long, Katsu placed her finger on the desired maneuver, indicating she had found it and began to read.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu: B-ranked technique. Similar to the Clone Technique the Shadow Clone Jutsu requires exact placement of chakra. See Kiyo," Katsu smiled, looking towards his friend. "Chakra control's your thing. I'm sure this won't be too hard."

"Right!" Kiyoshi nodded, standing a few feet away from Katsu so that he could attempt to perform the move while his comrade read the instructions aloud. She read them slowly, trying to allow for each word to sink in individually so that Kiyoshi would remember them clearly within his mind. The boy, however, wasn't paying much attention. Terrible thoughts started to enter his mind.

There was so much the book had to offer, why stop with one technique? The words stomped around in Kiyoshi's head like a drum. The scroll compiled all the Kinjutsu that the Leaf had to offer; they could run with it, take it far away and master everything within the codex. It would be so easy too as there was no one around to stop them. If he could convince Katsu, the two could become the most powerful shinobi in all of Konoha.

"Hey- you listening?" Katsu asked, snapping her fingers to grab Kiyoshi's attention.

Kiyoshi shook his head in reply, making sure to nod as to not attract attention to himself. What was he thinking? Kiyoshi wasn't a bad guy and had always made a point not to do anything wrong and try to be helpful. He even made it a point to assist the elderly when they were having trouble. To think about stealing such a powerful and priceless artifact just seemed wrong.

'_Besides_,' he rationalized. '_Kakashi-sama and Guy-sensei would hunt us down in mere minutes_.'

"It says here that creating a Shadow Clone is actually rather simple. Instead of making mere apparitions with a minimal amount of chakra, a Shadow Clone requires that chakra be evenly dispersed between you and it. So, I think the difference between making an illusion and an actual clone," Katsu stated matter-of-factly. "Is just more chakra, evenly distributed of course."

Kiyoshi nodded, taking a deep breath. He imagined himself literally splitting in half, becoming two entities. Within each entity, Kiyoshi picture his chakra dividing up evenly, as though chakra itself was some sort of concrete object that could be cut and split. Kiyoshi made the appropriate hand seal, crossing his middle and index finger from his right hand with the same fingers on his left.

Two shuriken flew from out of the darkness, landing near Kiyoshi's feet. The young boy panicked, expecting another flurry of projectiles and jumped back, cautiously glancing around the playground. Katsu did the same, jumping to her comrade's side. Two figures descended from the darkness, landing particularly close to the Scroll of Seals. Katsu began to dash forward to protect the artifact, but Kiyoshi grabbed her harm to hold the Uchiha back. He wouldn't let he run headlong into battle with unforeseen foe.

"He was right," a familiar voice said rather calmly. "He said I could find you two morons prodding about here."

Shikawa Nara was an odd one. He was skinnier than Kiyoshi, albeit slightly taller in comparison. He had short brown hair and eyes that were always glancing in different directions. Even at such a young age it was easy to tell his eyes were always calculating, always trying to decipher the world around him. He often wore a cropped, short sleeved jacket with green trim and a green shirt underneath. His pants, which were black, held a kunai holster around his right leg in a similar fashion to his father, Shikamaru.

Inoki Yamanaka was thin, frail, and quiet. She rarely spoke; even then it was only in mumbles and inaudible mutterings. Most importantly of all though, she was a genius. She had long blonde hair that she kept in a ponytail in a similar fashion to her mother, Ino. Her outfit consisted of a long sleeved, purple turtleneck and a beige skirt which was worn over her black leggings.

Inoki rushed to the side of the Scroll of Seals, scanning its contents as Katsu had done just moments ago. Instead of pausing when she came across the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Inoki found a much more interesting jutsu and began to intensively read the parameters regarding the technique.

"Guh, what do you want Shikawa? We're trying to learn a technique for Kakashi-sensei." Katsu frowned, folding her arms in a disapproving manner. She was in no mood for him to begin picking on Kiyoshi as he had done throughout most of their days at the academy.

"Hardly," he rebutted, grabbing another set of shuriken from his holster. "We're under direct orders from my father, Shikamaru Nara, to apprehend the two of you and reclaim the scroll you two stole."

Shikawa didn't wait for a response, throwing the two shuriken at his opponents. Kiyoshi's mind went a million miles a minute and he jumped back, narrowly dodging the projectiles. He rushed forward, aiming his assault towards Inoki whilst she had her back turned. As he contorted his body to perform his technique, Shikawa rushed to intercept the attack, planting his feet firmly on the soft grass floor and bracing himself for the inevitable strike.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Kiyoshi exclaimed, spinning to release a double kick combo. The first kick was nothing more than a feint, meant to force the opponent to drop their guard as the second kick was far more powerful and damaging. Shikawa had seen the move dozens of times in their Traditional Shinobi Sparring matches and easily blocked the first part of the attack, using the transition between the two kicks to counter. Shikawa delivered a decisive blow directly to Shikawa's chest, sending him back a few feet. Again Kiyoshi rushed forward, this time with the intent of disabling Shikawa. The young child jumped high into the air and performed a downward kick on Shikawa's position. The young Nara blocked the maneover with his for arm, and grabbed Kiyoshi's exposed leg with his free hand. Pulling the young boy down to the ground with one fell yank, Shikawa pulled his arm back to deliver the final assault on Kiyoshi. Just as his attack was about to connect, Shikawa was barely able to dodge the fireball sent hurling his way.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Katsu exclaimed after the fact. "Kiyo, get the scroll from Inoki. I'll deal with Shikawa!"

Kiyoshi nodded, flipping to his feet. Kiyoshi lunged forward at Shikawa once more. However, this time, just as he was about to attack, Kiyoshi sidestepped, running past the boy to attack his distracted teammate. Shikawa wanted to turn and help her, but he was staring down the front of another fireball attack. The boy grabbed another shuriken from his pouch and held it firmly in both hands. Shikawa then spun the shuriken out in front of him, similarly to the likes of a top a young child would spin for pleasure. In held its position in midair, spinning at an alarming pace as Shikawa performed the rat hand seal.

"Ninja Art: Shuriken Defense Jutsu!" the boy exclaimed. And, just as he did, the shuriken expanded in size, growing to the full width of a regular fuma shuriken. The spirling motion of the weapon doused the flames as they came in contact with the large fireball Katsu had emitted. When the fire styled jutsu had diappaited, Shikawa countered by grabbing the revolving fuma shuriken and tossing it in Katsu's direction. Without much pause, Katsu drew a kunai of her own, narrowly managing to deflect the projectile to land harmlessly on the ground.

Meanwhile, Kiyoshi jumped high into the air once more, attempting an aerial Leaf Hurricane on his unsuspecting target. All he had to do was take her out and he could retrieve the scroll. Perhaps once they had done so, Kiyoshi could find Shikamaru and explain this was all one giant misunderstanding.

"Done," the girl said, calmly. Without turning around, Inoki sidestepped Kiyoshi's attack, completely diffusing the threat of the second kick. She then swung her foot around, completely opening up her stance, and thrust her palm directly into Kiyoshi's face. With one strong push, Inoki pinned Kiyoshi to the ground. "Chakra Absorption."

Kiyoshi couldn't move. In fact, he found it terribly painful to breath and had trouble formulating thoughts. He could feel the chakra being slowly drained from his body and the child began to panic. He wanted desperately to be able to free himself, but no amount of struggling would produce any kind of response. His body was completely useless. Unless Katsu could free him, it was checkmate.

'_How did she master a technique so quickly?_' Kiyoshi's mind raced.

Katsu took notice of her friend's capture almost instantaneously and attempted to run to his aid. Shikawa threw a kunai in her path, stopping her forward momentum and reclaiming Katsu's primary focus. She knew at that moment, if she wanted to rescue Kiyoshi, she was going to have to go threw Shikawa first.

Katsu attacked, unleashing a flurry of kicks to her opponent. She was just as fast as Shikawa and left relatively few openings in her attacks. Each kick was followed up by another or supplemented with a few swings of her kunai to compensate for any weaknesses. However, when the moment presented itself, Shikawa blocked her kunai with one of his own. The momentary clash threw Katsu off, she hadn't seem him draw a kunai and the subtle change in dynamic allowed for her opponent to deliver a roundhouse kick to the side of her head. She was tossed through the air before hitting the ground, slightly dazed and confused.

"So much for the great protégé of the Sixth Hokage," he scoffed. "First you steal and then you don't even have the strength to backup your heinous actions."

Katsu flipped to her feet, running off the hand signs in her head to perform the Fireball Jutsu. Snake. Sheep. Monkey. Pig. Horse. Tiger! As she completed the final seal, Katsu took a deep breath, using his pointer finger and thumb to create a funnel like shape. When Katsu finally did exhale, a single fireball about a meter in diameter flew forward to Inoki. She couldn't defeat Shikawa alone and she had hoped the single attack would free her capture friend. Shikawa hadn't expected such an attack and managed to come throw himself between the fireball and Inoki. He attempted to perform his original technique, the Shuriken Defense Jutsu one again, but he hadn't given the shuriken enough time to expand. Just as the weapon was at about half of its full size, the fireball connected, sending Shikawa flying backwards directly into his teammate. Inoki's momentary loss in concentration allowed for Kiyoshi to flip to his feet and follow up with another Leaf Hurrican directly to Shikawa's chest. The extra two blows blew the child back once more, slamming his head hard enough directly into the brick gate surrounding the complex that he passed out.

Inoki jumped back, cracking her knuckles in anticipation. Kiyoshi rushed forward once more, performing the clone technique and splitting into three separate entities. Each descended upon Inoki from different angles and all the jumped high into the air to perform one final technique.

Inoki took a deep breath and extended her arm. From the palm of her hand extended a thin wire of chakra that attempted to lasso the middle of the three Kiyoshi's. Within the last few minutes of battle, Inoki had managed to comprehend the Chakra Rope Technique, another forbidden jutsu known by the Hidden Leaf. Luckily for Kiyoshi, she chose incorrectly, causing the apparition to fade away. However, the attack forced her off balance and left her completely open, allowing for Kiyoshi to perform his favorite technique, the Leaf Hurricane. She too suffered a similar fate as her friend, landing unconscious against the brick wall.

Katsu managed to look over to the scroll. Inoki had been reading the Impure World Resurrection Jutsu, a forbidden technique of the highest caliber. She obviously wouldn't have been able to perform the jutsu as it stood, but Katsu and Kiyoshi agreed that it was perhaps best Inoki hadn't learned the requirements for such an evil and powerful move.

"Let's just go home," Kiyoshi sighed, breathing rather heavily. Inoki had managed to drain a significant amount of chakra from the boy and he felt it nearly impossible to master the Shadow Clone Jutsu with such low remaining chakra. Katsu nodded in agreement as Kiyoshi closed the scroll and hung it over his back.

Omake #1

**Katsu**: Hey Kiyo?

**Kiyoshi**: Yes Katsu-san?

**Katsu**: You have some pretty big shoes to fill. I mean… well you're like the Naruto of our story aren't you?

**Kiyoshi**: And what does that make you? Sasuke?

**Katsu**: I never thought of that. Though, my did is pretty cool. Anyway, if you're **Naruto**, you'll need a catch phrase.

**Kiyoshi**: Oh, like Ttebayo or Believe it?

**Katsu**: Exactly!

**Kiyoshi**: Hmm… CHA!

**Katsu**: What was that?

**Kiyoshi**: It was my mom's catch phrase… I think I want to be the Sakura of the team- super strength and medical ninjutsu!

**Katsu**: Sakura is kind of cool. She didn't do much in part one though.

**Kiyoshi**: My mom is amazing! She's head of the medical corps in Konoha and part of the second generation of Sannin. Besides, I think you're the Naruto of the group. Smart, strong, stubborn- you're Naruto to a "T."

**Katsu**: Maybe… I'm not really moody enough to be my dad am I? Maybe our teammate will be the dark and mysterious avenger type. And our sensei, well as long as it's not Shikamaru-sensei I don't care. He scares me.

**Kiyoshi**: Me too. Anyway, I hope we get Choji-sensei. Choya's dad is so nice.

**Katsu**: Choya's dad doesn't fight anymore; he's a Peace Ambassador for the Land of the Fire remember? Besides, he's kind of chubby.

**Choji**: Did you just say chubby?

**Kiyoshi**: Ch-Choji-sensei? How did you get in here!?

**Choji**: I'll show you who doesn't fight anymore! Human Boulder!


	2. Chapter Two: Pass Or Fail

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

Chapter Two- Pass or Fail: A Mad Dash for the Bells

Kiyoshi took a deep breath. It was finally his turn to go. He had waited for that day since he had first been admitted to the Ninja Academy a few years back. Everything he had been waiting for, everything he had desperately trained for, all culminated into that particular moment. If he failed, it meant he failed as a ninja and would be forced to repeat at least another year of the training. But if he passed…

Kiyoshi stepped forward and took a deep breath. He glanced around the room, first gazing at the various teachers who were placed around the space. Among them, Iruka Umino sat at a long table to the right of the Sixth Hokage. With a clipboard in hand, Iruka had the final say on whoever passed. He had possessed that very position within the Leaf Village for years, even before the time Kiyoshi's father was a Genin.

Iruka wore the typical outfit of a Konoha shinobi, and, therefore, most of his outfit resembled that of Kakashi's or Shikamaru's. Unlike the others, however, Iruka actually wore his headband correctly, placing it horizontally across his forehead just a few inches above his eyes. His hair, which was long and dark, was tied in an upward ponytail that frayed out towards the backside. Sometime in his childhood, Iruka had gained a scar that ran along the bridge of his nose. Many students, including Kiyoshi, would constantly pester the middle-aged man about the acquisition of such a wound, but he would often just laugh and tell them that it was a story for another time.

Kiyoshi could feel his arms shaking, but he couldn't understand quite why. He had performed this technique perfectly countless times over. Even the night before during their altercation with Shikawa and Inoki, Kiyoshi had managed to create two perfect replications of himself. He knew he possessed the skills to pass this final test, but still he couldn't help but to fret.

The boy stepped onto the raised platform and stared timidly down at the many faces glaring back at him. Kakashi. Iruka. Guy. They were the only ones that mattered. He couldn't let his Hokage, his teacher, and his idol down. That was why he was so frightened, so worried he would fail at this crucial moment. He wanted to run away and cry. He hated this pressure put onto him.

Guy raised his right hand, giving the nervous child a concealed thumbs up and a nod in a last ditched attempt to give him a bit of encouragement. Kiyoshi smiled in response, gladdened by the fact there was at least one person who had believed in him. He wouldn't let Guy down.

Kiyoshi took another deep breath and closed his eyes just to regain his composure. The necessary hand seals flashed in his brain and he performed them accordingly. Ram. Snake. Tiger! When Kiyoshi had finally opened his eyes, standing beside him were two intangible copies of his own body. When he waved, they waved. When he moved, the clones would shift their legs to mimic Kiyoshi perfectly.

"Pass," Iruka smiled, giving the child a congratulatory nod. "Is everyone in agreement?"

Guy was the first to nod, immediately jumping to his feet. His right fist trembled and his lip quivered as Guy resisted all urges to spout off some encouraging phrases of youth. Just as the two were about to engage in a "manly hug of approval," Kakashi placed his left hand on the shoulder of his confidant. Guy took the cue and sat, completely quelling any urges that he might've had.

"Not just yet," Kakashi said skeptically, standing to his feet. Kakashi slowly trudged around the long table and made his way to Kiyoshi and the two clones. The Rokudaime extended his hand, easily slipping his fingers through the apparitions. In a puff of smoke, they were destroyed, leaving Kiyoshi standing on the small raised platform all by his lonesome. "Again, but make one this time. Perfectly distribute your chakra."

Kiyoshi took a deep breath and made the appropriate hand seal. Unlike the Clone Technique, the Shadow Clone Jutsu had its very own hand seal. The pointer and middle fingers of the right hand were placed parallel to the ground, whilst the same two fingers on the other hand were placed perpendicular to the other two. He closed his eye, trying desperately to picture separating his chakra into two separate entities. He knew this wouldn't change things, but he liked to believe that imagining the process would help.

A clone formed just out of Kiyoshi's reach. Just like before, the copy mirrored Kiyoshi's movement down to the tiniest flinch or twitch. Again, Kakashi outstretched his hand, attempting to take hold of the clone standing in front of him. And, just like before, Kakashi's hand slipped through the intangible clone. He could see the look of disappointment in the eyes of the Genin as the clone dissipated in a puff of smoke.

"It's alright," the Hokage said honestly, putting a hand on the boy's head. He moved back to the table and took a headband that Guy had been holding in his hands. Unlike all of the other headbands, this particular forehead protector was red, almost maroon in color. Kiyoshi had only seen two ninja wear headbands of that particular shade. "Here."

Kiyoshi gripped the headband tightly in his hand. Like before, his hand quivered with joy and excitement. The newly appointed Genin could no longer hold in his joy and apparently neither could Guy. The Noble Green Beast leapt over the table, dashing past Kakashi, and met Kiyoshi with a heartfelt embrace.

"G-Guy-sensei!" Kiyoshi cried, overjoyed by his acceptance as a ninja.

* * *

"So?" Katsu asked, her eyes wide open in anticipation. "Did you pass? What squad are you on?"

Kiyoshi didn't have to say anything in response. His smile said it all. Coupled with the red forehead protector clasped tightly in his right hand, Katsu already knew that her teammate had successfully passed their final exam. He had planned to sow the headband into his jacket so that he wouldn't lose track of it. He saw that Katsu had already tied her own headband around her left thigh.

The two shared a high five and a soft smile. Each of them possessed an envelope with specific instructions incased within. With any luck, they would be assigned the same sensei, but that was a long shot. There were sixteen other newly appointed Genin each in squads of three. They didn't like how the odds were sort of stacked against them. However, they were young and still full of so much hope. They just had to wait for Choya; the three promised they would open their envelopes together.

Choya was an Akamichi who had been in Kiyoshi's class at the academy. For the longest time, they had been inseparable friends, but lately they had started to drift apart. Choya was about the same size as Kiyoshi, maybe just slightly taller. He wore a red, short-sleeved shirt that seemed to be a little too large for him and a white scarf - even in the hottest of weather. Similar to his father, Choji Akamichi, there were faint red spiral marks on his cheeks. His hairstyle was also modeled after his father's, being slightly long and spikey in appearance.

"Twelve," Kiyoshi said timidly, worried that his friends would be given another assignment.

"Twelve!" Katsu said almost immediately afterwards, overjoyed by their assignments. Also placed inside the envelope was a small piece of parchment, instructing the duo to meet their sensei, Shikamaru Nara, on the top of the Hokage Mansion in a few hours.

Choya didn't say his number at first. When he opened his envelope, Choya just hung his head, unable to make the words form in his mouth. Unlike the others, a large, red number four loomed in place of where the two should've been. It was disappointing to the trio to say the least, but Kiyoshi was just secretly satisfied knowing that he and Katsu were still on the same team.

* * *

"Where is he?" Kiyoshi frowned, stretching his arms to the sky. They had been waiting atop the Hokage Mansion for about an hour or so anticipating their sensei and teammate to arrive. The sun was starting to set and the orange glow from the sky lit up all of Konoha. It was a view Katsu had watched countless times before with Kakashi, but, for Kiyoshi, it was a completely new and wonderful experience.

The door to the roof creaked, creating a noise that caused both Genin to jump slightly. They had been so captivated by the scenery; the duo had completely forgotten the world around them. When they turned to find the source of the disruptive noise, they saw a young boy standing just a few meters away.

He was taller, at least taller than Kiyoshi, and had long blonde hair that wrapped around the side of his face. The boy wore long, black pants that stopped halfway down his calf. Underneath, Katsu could see bandages were tied around his lower legs and feet for support. On his right leg there were two pouches, one for kunai and shuriken and another for a small dagger. The other leg possessed another pouch for what Kiyoshi assumed was for smoke bombs. His high collared jacket, which was also black but with blue trim, had a different symbol on each arm. On the right, the typical spiral symbol worn by most Leaf shinobi, and, on the left, the Hyuga flame Hinata wore when she was young. His arms, like his legs, were tied up with bandages to protect his joints. The boy also had two katana strapped securely to his backside. Perhaps his most distinguishing feature was his white, soulless eyes.

"Yo," he said calmly, raising a single hand.

"Good now that we're all here," a voice said from above. Kiyoshi swung his head just in time to see the wind pick up and swirl a few stray leaves. Within mere moments, the wind intensified, forcing the Genin to shield their eyes. "Sorry I'm late, I was momentarily detained."

Kiyoshi knew he had heard the name _Shikamaru_ countless times in school, but he hadn't managed to put two-and-two together the previous day. He had been the one to catch Kiyoshi after their attempt to "borrow" the Scroll of Seals went terribly awry. The thin, tall Jonin with the spiky ponytail was regarded far and wide as one of the best shinobi the Hidden Leaf Village had to offer. Praised for his incredibly high IQ, Shikamaru was one of the candidates considered to fill the position of the Sixth Hokage. However, he rejected the nomination and was quoted in saying that the job was "too troublesome," and noted that Kakashi would make a much better addition to the esteemed rank of Hokage.

"Alright..." he continued, taking a good look at the children. "We should probably all get to know each other, introduce ourselves- that kind of thing.

"Well, what should we say?" Katsu asked, braving the tense silence.

"We could share our hobbies, our likes, our dislikes, our dreams... ya' know, things like that. Any volunteers?" Shikamaru asked, raising a single eyebrow in hopes that one of his wards would be adventurous enough to share themselves with the rest of the team. Of course, they didn't. "Alright, you on the right. You can go first."

"I'm Katsu Uchiha. I like Kakashi-sensei and the cold side of the pillow. As for my hobbies... well I like to draw."

"And your dream?" Shikimaru inquired, leaning back slightly. At her age, her father, Susuke Uchiha, had been completely driven by hate and revenge. Shikamaru didn't want to have a student whose soul motivation was that of vengeful indignation.

"To restore honor to the Uchiha Clan, and if that doesn't work, I plan to marry Kakashi-sensei," she responded.

Shikamaru couldn't help but smile. While her dreams weren't as luxurious as becoming Hokage or a powerful ninja, it was better than a life dedicated to the eradication of the Hidden Leaf Village or worse...

"And you?" Shikamaru remarked, turning his head to the next student.

"My name is Kiyoshi Lee. I like onigiri and spending time with my friends. My hobbies include writing, sampling different kinds of onigiri, and training my Taijutsu. My dream is to become a splendid ninja like Guy-sensei!"

Lee's son could potentially become a valuable asset to the team. As he stood, the child was apparently useless. While possessing only average Taijutsu and the only jutsu in his arsenal being the Clone Technique, Kiyoshi was a crybaby who cracked under pressure. His only redeemable quality lay in the fact that he was extremely over protective. Perhaps with time, he could become a splendid ninja like his hero... but that was not happening any time soon.

"And finally?" the Jonin shrugged, turning to the last child of the bunch.

"Akira Uzumaki. I like eating ramen. My only real hobby is training, and, as for my dream... I'd rather not talk about it right now."

This was the child Shikamaru was most interested in. From what he understood, Akira possessed an IQ that rivaled his son's genius level intelligence while also utilizing above average Kenjutsu in combat. Like Kiyoshi, his only known jutsu was the Clone Technique, but Shikamaru wouldn't be surprised if the child had a few tricks up his sleeve. God knew that Naruto always did.

"Hmm, well nice to meet you three. My name is Shikamaru Nara. I was the first Genin from my class to be promoted to Chunin, as well as the first to become a Jonin. My only real hobby is playing shogi and making my wife happy. Though, often times that feels more like a job," Shikamaru put his hand to the back of his head and chuckled slightly.

"And your dream?" Kiyoshi asked, his eyes wide with inquiry.

"My dream? I'm not really sure. To be honest, I'm rather happy where I am. I guess, right now at least, I'm hoping that I can help the three of you reach your goals - no matter how farfetched they may be." He looked to Katsu who seemed as though she was in another dimension, deep in thought about Kakashi.

Shikamaru wanted to sit around a bit more to speak with his subordinates for a little longer, but he rationalized that it was time for him to return home. He didn't want to run the risk of growing too attached to these children; of course, they had one final test to take before they officially became Genin. With Shikamaru given the last word on their fate, he didn't want to allow any emotional attachment to interfere with making a logical decision.

"Thank you Shikamaru-sensei," Kiyoshi chimed up to break the awkward silence.

"Don't thank me yet, you're going to hate me in a minute," the Jonin said honestly, looking away from his students. He hesitated on how he should play this entire ordeal. Should he be aloof and sly, or should he level with the children, telling them the truth about the events that were going to transpire. He decided that a bit of both would make things rather interesting. "You see, out of the eighteen students that graduated this morning, only twelve of them will actually be given the rank of Genin. The other six will be sent back to the academy."

"What!?" Katsu shouted, jumping to her feet. "So, we have another exam?"

"Yes," Shikamaru nodded. "With me as your proctor."

He informed them to arrive at the Third Training Ground at precisely at nine the following morning for their true final exam. Should things go well, Kiyoshi, Katsu, and Akira would be appointed Genin and be scheduled for missions in two day's time. However, if they were to fail, another year at the ninja academy awaited them. Before he forgot, Shikamaru warned the trio to skip breakfast before coming to the training ground.

"But... why?" Kiyoshi asked, raising a single eyebrow. He didn't like the prospects of going without food, but he would do so only if it were absolutely necessary. He didn't like breaking rules that adults had set forth.

"You'll throw up," he responded, giving the trio a small shrug.

* * *

The morning was unlike that of any other. It was as though even Mother Nature knew the magnitude of the events that were about to take place. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky; the sun shone brightly down on the streets of Konoha. Even the wind was that of relaxing, light breeze that cuddled the faces of whoever was caught in its grasp. It was the perfect day to train.

Kiyoshi's rumbling stomach disrupted the awkward silence that had befallen the three shinobi.

"I'm hungry," Kiyoshi frowned, rubbing his stomach. He took a seat on one of the three practice posts, leaning back to stare at the sky. "And he's almost two hours late."

"You've said that three times now," Akira sighed, putting his face in his hands to let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "Complaining isn't going to make Shikamaru-sensei come any sooner."

"No need to be hurtful," Kiyoshi frowned, looking over to his new teammate.

Kiyoshi felt that Akira was a rather strange individual who was difficult to read. Of course he had seen the boy before; they had been in the same class at the academy since as long as Kiyoshi could recall. However, Akira always blended into the background, never trying to make waves or call attention to himself. He wasn't always like that though. Kiyoshi could distinctly remember the Uzumaki as a rather popular, outgoing individual. Then...nothing. He became distant from his friends, but his grades soared like no other, easily placing him at the top of their class.

"Sorry, I'm a little testy when I don't eat," he shrugged. "Plus, there's this moron who keeps testing my patience."

Katsu stepped up, clenching her fists tightly. She wanted to rebut Akira's comment with a left hook, but Kiyoshi grabbed her teammates arm. It hadn't been the time to be quarrelling amongst themselves. They had to work together as a single unit if they had any hope of passing whatever test Shikamaru had prepared. They had to be in their top form.

Even if Kiyoshi was starving...

They heard their sensei before they saw him. The wind picked up, bringing the leaves on the ground in front of the trio in a sort of cyclone motion. Before long, the lines between leaf and flesh seemed to blur and Shikamaru's body miraculously materialize in front of them with little warning. He gave his soon-to-be subordinates a slight wave and a small smile.

"Sorry I'm late," he shrugged. "I had to pick something up."

Shikamaru reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out two, silver bells. Before any of the children could inquire as to what they were, the Jonin tied them to his pants, cracking his knuckles and neck in anticipation. He asked his students what the time was.

"Eleven," Akira responded, crossing his arms, remembering how Kiyoshi constantly reminded him of the current time.

"Perfect," Shikamaru smiled, pulling another object from his jacket. This time, the battle-hardened Jonin placed a small clock on one of the stumps used for target practice. "Your task is to take these bells from me before noon. Whoever fails goes back to the academy."

"Then we can't lose!" Katsu frowned, taking a step forward.

"Relax, you haven't even heard the worst part. Losers not only go back to the academy, they also go without lunch," Shikamaru laughed.

Kiyoshi felt his stomach growl and his head started to spin. If there was one thing Kiyoshi cared about as much as Katsu, it was food. He didn't like that Shikamaru was holding food over his head and his hunger immediately began to fuel his determination. Kiyoshi was going to show Shikamaru that, even without a full stomach, he was a force to be reckoned with. Then again, there was something that came to his mind.

"But... Sensei there are only two bells," he asked, looking up at his sensei with his large eyes.

"That way, one of you will undoubtedly fail, end up tied to a stump, and sent back to the academy," Shikamaru responded, shrugging his shoulders once more. "Your time starts now."

Shikamaru used the palm of his hand to press down on the clock, watching as the second hand began to move clockwise at a rather furious pace. Before the new sensei could even turn around, he heard the children disperse into the foliage of the surrounding area.

The Third Training Ground was the most commonly used training area of the Hidden Leaf Village, with perhaps the only exception perhaps being the Forty-Fourth Training Ground. It was rather large in size, offering all sorts of terrain, including a small forest and a deep pond. There were plenty of hiding places, and, when they saw their chance, the children did their best to completely conceal themselves.

The Jonin paused for a brief second and closed his eyes, trying to uncover their locations. To the right, he could sense Akira on the top branch of one of the shorter trees in the forest. It took him a moment to locate Katsu who had decided to hide in some bushes to his left. He may not have been able to find her if she didn't move to make herself slightly more comfortable while she lay in wait.

"_At least they seem to understand stealth,_' Shikamaru pondered to himself. '_Now where is..._'

"I'm going to take one of those bells from you Sensei! I'm too hungry to fail!" Kiyoshi said confidently, folding his arms. It was amazing how strong a motivator that hunger truly was. However, Kiyoshi knew he had to get his hands on those bells so that he could stay on Katsu's team. He couldn't risk being sent back to the academy while Akira was placed on a team with Katsu. This could be his only chance to work side-by-side with his best friend.

"We'll see," Shikamaru shrugged, displeased with his subordinates bold actions. "Determination means nothing if you don't have the skill to back up your words."

Shikamaru heard the slight ruffle of leaves that indicated his students were trying to get a better view of the altercations that was about to take place. Akira was curious to witness Kiyoshi's skill level and Katsu was hoping to witness her friend prevail in procuring a bell. Shikamaru had to admit that even he was curious to see the boy's skill level. With his mediocre scores, the Jonin felt that the boy was a dark horse of sorts. For all he knew, Kiyoshi could've been like Naruto, a poor student on paper, but terribly effective in the field.

Kiyoshi felt the sting of his sensei's words and the child rushed forward, pulling his arm back to deliver a powerful punch. He was pretty sure that if he were able to close the gap, Kiyoshi could overpower his sensei with his Taijutsu. Intent for a full frontal assault, Kiyoshi didn't notice the thin trip wire until it was far too late. The pulled string revealed a large pitfall directly under the young shinobi. Without time to react appropriately, Kiyoshi plummeted to the bottom of the hole with an emphatic thud.

"That was... disappointing" Shikamaru sighed, slapping his forehead with the bottom of his palm.

"Come on, fight fair!" Kiyoshi called up from the bottom of the hole. It was going to take the child quite a time to climb out of his prison, taking a large chunk out of the hour he had to procure a bell. It was going to be a rather long climb, but he was sure that once he reached the top he could get his hands on one of those bells. He grabbed into the side of the walls, digging his fingers deep into the side to begin his ascent.

"A ninja must see through deception, and see underneath the underneath. To do this you must be of both sharpened body and mind," the Jonin preached. "That being said, if you manage to get out of there I'll fight you one-on-one. No traps or tricks."

A single kunia shot out from the trees behind Shikamaru. Without ever moving his position, Shikamaru's shadow raised form the ground, catching the projectile in midflight, just inches away from the back of the Jonin's skull. Without even looking, Shikamaru had his shadow toss the kunai directly back from whence it came. The clash of metal indicated that Akira had blocked the attack with another weapon.

'_Fast reflexes are always important,_' Shikamaru thought, silently smiling to himself. Even if Kiyoshi was a bumbling fool, he felt like Naruto's son held a lot of raw potential. With a little direction, he could become a powerful weapon.

With his position already given away, Akira decided it was best to reveal himself and take his turn against his sensei. The boy leapt out of the tree, pulling out the two Katana sheathed on his backside. Unlike typical Taijutsu, Akira was confident that his Kenjutsu would keep Shikamaru on his guard long enough to procure one of those silver bells.

"Your traps won't work on me Shikamaru-sensei," Akira smiled, the veins around his eyes become more pronounced with an enflamed-like appearance. "My eyes see everything."

Shikamaru had forgotten that Akira was of the main branch of the Hyuga lineage, being the child of Hinata Hyuga. That being the case, what Akira said was completely true. The traps Shikamaru had spent countless hours preparing for the day's exam would be completely and utterly useless against a powerful Kekkei Genkai such as the Byakugan.

Before taking a step forward, Akira used his katana to snap another see through wire that was just in front of him. With no other traps in the immediate vicinity, Akira charged, poised and ready to strike. Once again, Shikamaru didn't even move, using his shadow to clash with the katana. The Jonin kept a stone cold expression while he watched the Genin violently slash his katana as he was repeatedly knocked away. Eventually, Akira was tossed back enough to allow Shikamaru's shadow to go on the offensive. Just like that, the tides changed, and Akira was forced to defend against the shadow's onslaught. One after another, Akira barely managed to use his katana to deflect the powerful blows, until one such attack completely overpowered the young boy, tossing the slim sword to the ground.

Shikamaru saw an opening, and the shinobi finally charged forward, pulling one of his Chakra Blades, a special trench knife worn like brass knuckles, that his sensei, Asuma Sarutobi, had once worn, from a holster on his right leg. Before Akira could recover from the previous blow, Shikamaru threw a Chakra Blade bolstered punch at the Genin, knocking the second of Akira's katana to the grassy floor. Akira tried to dive out of the way of whatever follow up maneuver Shikamaru had planned, but, for reasons he couldn't explain, Akira found his body unresponsive and static. For, with a single flick of his wrist, Shikamaru had tossed one of the trench knives onto Akira's shadow. The blade's special properties allowed for Shikamaru's chakra to paralyze whomever the shadow belonged to. It was a swift way to deal with his students one by one.

Still, Shikamaru felt rather disappointed with Akira's performance. While he did manage to avoid the traps the Jonin had arranged, he only did so because of his Byakugan. If it weren't for the boy's Kekkei Genkai, Shikamaru was sure that Akira would've faired no better than Kiyoshi and he would most likely be trapped in a net somewhere. He was hoping that the remaining child would prove her worth.

"What did you do?" Akira panicked, unable to move any of his limbs.

Shikamaru dismissed his question, turning his attention to the bushes where Katsu had been hiding. It became painfully obvious to the shinobi that her sensei was aware of her position. With a little disappointment that she had been discovered so easily, she fuddled her way through the foliage, revealing herself to her sensei.

"Two down..." Shikamaru smiled letting his words linger in the breeze. He reached into the pouch on his side and drawing a single kunai. He resolved to use the remaining Chakra Blade only if necessary; in case he needed it in a pinch. "Well what are you waiting for? I'm right here."

Katsu was about to take the bait. For, directly in front of her, there was another trip wire attached to a spring-loaded machine prepped to shoot three shuriken. Of course, shuriken may have been too dangerous for Shikamaru to be using on his students. However, he was confident that Katsu could dodge a few projectiles. After all, the team did come heavily recommended by the Hokage himself.

If only Akira hadn't called out to her.

"Don't move!" he shouted rather urgently.

"Traps?" she asked, scanning the ground for any barely visible wires.

"There's a tripwire directly in front of you," Akira responded, trying to nod. His attempts were futile, but it didn't stop him from trying. "And there's four more between you and Shikamaru-sensei."

"Let's try this then," she smiled. The hand seals began flying by furiously, starting with the Rat, then Tiger, Dog, Ox, Rabbit, and finally the Tiger. Katsu leapt high into the air, taking a deep breath before exhaling a fury of fireballs in Shikamaru's direction. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

The Jonin hadn't expected such a powerful attack from a mere Genin, and it caught him almost completely off guard. Shikamaru's shadow rose from the ground, forming a thick black shield that barely managed to deflect the flames. However, even though the attack on the Jonin was unsuccessful, Katsu had managed to spring all four traps between her and her target, including three others that she activated completely by accident. It seemed that Shikamaru had kept them all relatively simple, as all the traps were essentially easily avoidable pitfalls and ropes traps. Only one trap shot any type of projectile from the treetops.

"Clever," Shikamaru smirked, closing his eyes. In truth, Shikamaru was rather aggravated that all of his hard work was for naught. He had spent most of the night rigging those traps for the exam and she had effectively rendered most of them benign in mere moments. He rationalized the entire ordeal was worthwhile in the end however, as he managed to catch at least one of them in a pitfall. "What a drag. Well, at least you started working together."

Katsu rushed forward, delivering a strong roundhouse kick. Shikamaru sidestepped it easily, delivering a punch of his own directly to her stomach. To his surprise, his hand passed through her body and the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke. The Jonin turned just in time to block Katsu's kunai, but the follow up kick came as a bit of a surprise. His reflexes weren't fast enough, but his shadow rose just in time deflect the blow. The shadow grabbed onto Katsu's leg in an attempt to restrain her, but the kunoichi would not be stopped. She twisted her body to throw a punch, but again, Shikamaru used another portion of his shadow to form a long tendril that grabbed onto her arm, completely nullifying the blow. Katsu was about to try once more, but the Jonin used his shadow to throw the child a few yards away. Without a moments rest, Katsu rushed forward, her arm outstretched as she desperately reached for the bells at her sensei's side. Just as her fingers touched the metallic, spherical surface, her forward momentum completely ceased. The Jonin's hands formed the seal of the Rat.

She was trapped in his Shadow Possession Jutsu.

Shikamaru dropped his remaining Chakra Blade on Katsu's shadow so he didn't have to utilize any excess chakra to keep the rambunctious kunoichi detained. He figured Kiyoshi would've been just about out of the hole so he didn't need them anymore. He assumed that using the blades in a one-on-one Taijutsu battle put him at an advantage and he didn't want to be accused of being "unfair" again.

"You alright?" he called out to the child. Kiyoshi just barely managed to pull himself over the edge of the hole and the young shinobi scrambled to his feet.

"I'm... starving," he frowned, holding his side to quell the knot in his stomach. The ninja looked to his two paralyzed teammates and his eyes grew rather wide. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Shikamaru shrugged, putting up his arms. "Even though Taijutsu isn't really my thing, a promise is a promise. Come on, beat me, and you get lunch."

"Promise?" the child asked, giving Shikamaru a stern look of concern.

"Promise," he responded with a slight nod.

Kiyoshi cracked his knuckles and smiled. The child was confident, perhaps too confident, that he could overpower his sensei. He rushed forward, throwing caution to the wind, and delivered a powerful Leaf Hurricane. Shikamaru, having seen the technique countless times, batted away the first kick with his hand, and used the brief window between the alternating kicks to deliver a punch of his own. The blow was enough to knock the airborne shinobi flat on his backside. Shikamaru recoiled, pulling back his hand with a violent shake. He had felt as though he had just punched a brick wall.

'_Kakashi was wrong... this kid is light years behind the other two. Even his taijutsu is pathetic,'_ Shikamaru frowned, shaking his head in complete disapproval.

Kiyoshi's body disappeared in a puff of white smoke, a log lying in his place. Panicking as he had completely underestimated his opponent's intellect, Shikamaru turned to find Kiyoshi, but a katana slashed towards the Jonin's midsection, forcing the sensei to jump backwards to narrowly avoid the attack. Shikamaru went to counter with an attack of his own, but a fireball careened towards the older shinobi from his right. Like before, Shikamaru's shadow rose, creating a black shield that deflected the flames, allowing the Jonin to use his free hands to draw a kunai from his holster. That was when Shikamaru felt his heart drop.

He had lost sight of Kiyoshi.

"Above!" the missing ninja shouted.

Shikamaru looked up just as Kiyoshi attacked with a downward mid-air kick. Shikamaru used both of his wrists to block the blow as the remaining Genin dove for the bells fastened at his waist side.

The sensei had mixed feelings as to what had just transpired. He was both proud and annoyed that Kiyoshi had been the one to 'break their promise' by utilizing jutsu in there one-on-one Taijutsu only match. He was proud that Kiyoshi had used a bit of trickery and teamwork to try and accomplish their goals. However, Shikamaru was severely agitated that he had allowed Kiyoshi to trick him with such an obvious ploy. Still, ninjas were supposed to see through deception, and, instead of using his shadow to toss the three shinobi back, he felt they deserved their prize.

Katsu and Akira both had a single finger wrapped around the bell when the clock rang.

"Here," Shikamaru said, handing each of his students a boxed lunch. The Jonin's monotone voice made it difficult for his wards to uncover what the shinobi was thinking. They couldn't decide if he was pleased with their performance or completely and utterly underwhelmed.

Kiyoshi didn't care. He was so relieved to see food that he tuned out everything else around him. Shikamaru had really gone all out for his students. Rice, salmon, vegetables, and some other brown thing - Kiyoshi didn't care what it was. He was so starved he shoveled everything into his mouth with his chopsticks. At this juncture, food was his main prerogative.

"Thank you Shikamaru-sensei," Akira frowned, pushing the box aside. He wasn't in the mood to eat and he didn't feel deserving of such an amazing meal. "I'm just not hungry."

"You're kidding?" Shikamaru frowned, having his head. He had spent quite a bit of money purchasing those bento boxes from the finest restaurant in town. While it wasn't too much of an issue, it was enough for Shikamaru to consider it "a drag."

"I guess what he means Shikamaru-sensei," Katsu intervened. "Is that he's lost his appetite, knowing we have to go back to the Academy for another year."

Katsu too placed her box on the concrete slab she and her teammates sat on. Her normally confident demeanor disappeared as she pulled her feet into her chest and stared blankly into the field of grass directly in front of her. Shikamaru smiled, telling both Akira and Katsu to eat up so that they could get their strength back. The duo did what they were told, picking up their bentos and forcing themselves to eat what food Shikamaru had graciously given them.

"Why do you think there was two bells?" Shikamaru finally said, breaking the silence.

"You said so one of us would have to go back to the Academy no matter what," Akira responded, once again pushing his lunch off to the side.

"Not exactly," Shikamaru responded. "I had no intention of breaking up the three of you. I wanted to see if you would work together as a team, even if there was the threat of one of being sent back to the Academy. See, I was going to fail you at first. When Kiyo and Akira began fighting me one-on-one I thought there was no sense of teamwork amongst you three. I started having second thoughts when Akira selflessly told you where my traps were, and I had completely made my decision by the time Kiyoshi sacrificed himself so that you two could each get a bell."

"What are you trying to say Shikamaru-sensei?" Akira added; his soulless eyes seemingly lit up.

He didn't want to admit it, but Shikamaru was growing to like the trio. Even Kiyoshi had really surprised him, sacrificing his victory so that Katsu and Akira might pass. It was a selfless act and he wanted to give the boy a bit of praise. However, he felt at the moment his words would've fallen on deaf ears as Kiyoshi was far too busy devouring his lunch.

"You pass," he smiled.

Katsu was the first to celebrate, screaming as she jumped to her feet. Akira tried to hide his joy, but eventually he couldn't contain himself anymore, gaining a wide smile across his face. He was more amazed that they had actually passed with such a pitiful display. He had been almost certain they failed. Kiyoshi didn't respond to the news. Instead he picked up his last piece of salmon and shoveled it into his mouth.

"I take it he didn't get the memo," Akira said, trying to be humorous.

Katsu knelt down in front of her longtime companion and closed Kiyoshi's bento box, forcing him to put it down. She made sure he was staring directly into her eyes when she shared the news so that she might see the look of joy in his eyes once he realized they were to become Genin.

"We passed bonehead," she smiled.

Kiyoshi's eyes lit up and he mumbled something completely inaudible, spraying food out of his mouth.

* * *

"Mom!" Kiyoshi called out when he finally opened the door to his parent's apartment.

It was a quant home like most of the apartments in Konoha. Rather than the average one room flats that were common throughout the Leaf Village, Kiyoshi's abode was more akin to that of a house in the more traditional sense of the word. Five rooms in total: two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. There was no real sense of style throughout the apartment. Rock Lee had always been partial to furniture and knickknacks made of bamboo while Sakura preferred her house to be decorated in floral patterns. Perhaps it was a bit egotistical to want the apartment completely decorated in cherry blossoms, but admittedly such floral patters were both rather vibrant a beautiful.

His mother was situated in the kitchen, cooking dinner for her son. Sakura had aged well in the past twenty years, using the same jutsu that her mentor once had to keep her youthful appearance. She wore a pink vest, and a short, light pink skirt with leggings that fell to her mid-thigh. Her hair, which she had grown to fall to her waist, was tied in a similar appearance to that of the previous Hokage, Tsunade.

The team had spent the last few hours back at the training ground just spending time together. Shikamaru stressed that camaraderie was the quickest way to becoming an effective team. Rather than training, Shikamaru just wanted the children to become friends. Skills would come later. Still, Kiyoshi felt like he hadn't learned a thing about Akira and he had already been Katsu's best friend. So, in the end, the entire day just seemed like a waste.

"I hope Shikamaru wasn't too tough on you," Sakura teased from the other room. "Actually, now that I think about it, he was probably too lazy to give a proper test."

"No," Kiyoshi called back before eventually joining his mother in the kitchen. "He gave 'The Bell Test.'"

Sakura was immediately filled with memories of her past. During her test with Kakashi, Sakura had managed to do nothing more than panic and faint on two separate occasions. The exam had ended in a complete failure. Naruto had been tied to a post and she had ended up making a fool of herself. Even Sasuke, who at that time was the superior fighter of the three, failed in comparison to Kakashi. The second iteration of the same test, albeit three years later, was far different however.

"Well did you pass?" Sakura asked, shaking her head.

"Yeah, we have a mission first thing in the morning," Kiyoshi responded, giving his mother a 'nice guy pose.' "Is dad home?"

"Oh, you know your father," Sakura sighed. "He's off on some mission with Tenten. I'm sure he'll be back later tonight... or maybe tomorrow. I'm sure he and Guy-sensei will want to hear all about it."

Kiyoshi smiled at his mother, giving her a hug before exiting the room. Just as he was out of his mother's vision, the newly appointed Genin hung his head and he let out an impressive sigh. His father was never home.

* * *

Katsu pushed on the door, trying hopelessly to force it open. After a moment of pushing, Katsu braced herself, charging into the door with her shoulder. Of course, the door sprung open rather easily and Katsu tumbled forward, landing harshly on the wooden flooring. More embarrassed than angry, Katsu pulled her arms out from underneath of her and the kunoichi barely managed to close her front door behind her. Katsu turned on the light to gaze at her empty apartment. It was just a single room with just a bed and a dresser. For the most part, she kept the room rather clean, but, as with all children, it wasn't too uncommon for things to get a bit messy.

Katsu wanted desperately to share her good news with someone. She wanted to shout to a room full of family and friends that she was finally a ninja. Though she knew better. There was no one waiting for her at her home. Her mother had died during childbirth and her father had fled the village years ago. He just left her alone for reasons she didn't know or understand. Thinking about it brought a tear to her eye.

Even though it was early on in the night, Katsu decided it was best to just go to bed. She figured she should rest for she needed all of her strength for the trials of the following day.

"So, did you pass?" a voice from behind asked.

Katsu swiveled around to see the Hokage opening the door to her apartment. Unlike Katsu, Kakashi had no problem entering the abode, but closing the door proved rather difficult so he just left it open. After all, he didn't resolve to stay very long. He was just coming around to check on the Uchiha as he had done many times before after particularly rough days spent at the Academy.

"Yeah," Katsu nodded, her voice solemn and monotone. "Starting tomorrow I'm a Genin under Shikamaru-sensei and I can be registered for missions."

"Then why are you sitting here? Shouldn't you be celebrating? No? Well, I'm sure you're hungry. I made miso soup and eggplant if your hungry," Kakashi shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You know I don't like eggplant," Katsu said, trying to smile. There was something about Kakashi's scatterbrained attitude that made Katsu feel a little better. She still wanted to cry into her pillow, but she didn't feel quite as bad as she had moments before.

"You like dumplings right?" Kakashi said, scratching his forehead. "Well... come on, kid."

It had been years since he had taken care of Katsu. After Sasuke's deflection, Kakashi had practically acted as the girl's father. Now he was more of a mentor, or, perhaps, a concerned landlord. Still, he did often miss caring for the girl. Kakashi had always wanted a child of his own, but didn't find himself capable of committing himself to any long term relationships.

"Where are we going?" the child asked, looking at her hero with her large, trusting eyes.

"The Dango shop," the Rokudaime responded. "I want to hear all about your day."

* * *

Akira took the last sip of his fourth bowl of ramen, placing it down on the countertop with a loud thud. He wanted a fifth, but he didn't want to take advantage of Shikamaru's hospitality. However, the Jonin ordered yet another bowl for the child, aware that the he was likely still hungry. It had been almost six hours after they had eaten lunch and Akira could eat ramen like it was going out of style.

"I guess that's the one thing you and Naruto have in common," Shikamaru mused, finishing the last bit of his first bowl of soup.

"From what I hear, it's just about the only thing," Akira shrugged.

Shikamaru knew that to be true. Akira was calculating and reserved- Naruto had been nothing but a loud nuisance for most of his childhood. Of course things changed drastically as he aged, but, when Naruto was Akira's age, the two were nothing alike.

"Well, yeah," Shikamaru sighed. "The guy was always getting in trouble when he was younger. He was the Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja. You're not going to start yelling 'believe it' are you?"

"Not likely," came the child's indifferent response.

Shikamaru could only hope that Akira had the same powerful determination to get stronger that Naruto had. Often times, individuals with Akira's personality suffered from complacency. Rather than striving to grow and become stronger, they think that they are already strong enough or they are just merely pleased with where they are. What made Naruto so strong was his drive to protect those around him and to earn respect. Of course, there was one simple way to see if Akira had that same motivation his father had.

"What's your dream?" Shikamaru asked abruptly. The sudden change in tone made Akira place his fifth bowl of ramen down on the counter. He didn't want to answer, but Akira figured his sensei deserved a response.

"Naruto... was strong, wasn't he?" Akira frowned, looking away. Shikamaru didn't have to answer that question, as Akira already knew the answer. He had heard how Naruto had essentially defeated Obito on his own with minimal help from the Shinobi Alliance. He had known of all the great accomplishments Naruto had achieved, and, of course, Akira was aware Naruto was to become the Sixth Hokage before he met an untimely demise. "You see, when people see me, they think of him. I'm always just the 'Son of the Great Naruto Uzumaki.' I hate that. When people see me, I want them to think of Akira Uzumaki. I want people to know me for my own accomplishments, not my father's."

"Wait, let me guess..." Shikamaru began to say before he interrupted by his student. He had a slight premonition of what was going to follow.

"My future dream is to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody. Somebody important!" Akira nodded, picking his ramen up once more. He went back to finishing his food, allowing Shikamaru the luxury of a silent chuckle. When he was finished, the Jonin could do no more then shake his head.

'_What a drag. You're more like him than you care to know.'_

* * *

Omake #2:

**Katsu**: Hello and welcome to- Oi! Why are you here?

**Akira**: We're a team aren't we? I figured I should help out.

**Kiyoshi**: Oh, that makes sense. Well this is the studio, the camera is over there, and-oh, there's our cameraman!

**Yamato**: How's it going?

**Akira**: Um, alright... anyway, what are we talking about today?

**Katsu**: Well... we were going to talk about you to be honest. However, I'm thinking that would be a little awkward.

**Akira**: My apologies.

**Kiyoshi**: Well, I have an idea. Today's topic is Shikamaru-sensei.

**Akira**: Shikamaru-sensei is the prodigy from the Nara Clan, known far and wide for his genius and tactical prowess.

**Katsu**: That's my line... I'm the straight man and Kiyoshi's the funny man.

**Kiyoshi**: Tactical prowess? Chhh, the guy wasn't that tough. I mean, he had to hide behind all of those traps.

**Akira**: He was testing our perception. A ninja must see underneath the underneath.

**Katsu**: Seriously... you're taking all of my lines.

**Kiyoshi**: Still, if the time hadn't run out, we would've gotten both the bells from him.

**Akira**: Only because he let us. Tell me, have you ever heard of the bingo book? You have? Well, Shikamaru is listed in the bingo book as an S-ranked ninja. Underneath his name is the phrase, "_flee on sight."_ He's really just that strong.

**Katsu**: Okay, seriously now? I'm starting to get really angry; stop stealing my lines! Add your own stupid commentary!

**Akira**: See, the funny story is-

**Katsu**: That's it! I'm done! Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!


	3. Chapter Three: Caution Out The Window

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto :(**

Chapter Three- Caution Out the Window: A C-Ranked Mission

"What was your first mission Shikamaru-sensei?" Kiyoshi asked. He and his teammates were walking through the streets of Konoha. They weren't quite sure where they were going, but Shikamaru had told them it was important to their job as shinobi.

"Hmm, honestly I don't really remember," the Jonin shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I helped move cartons of fruit."

"What?"

"Well, D-ranked missions aren't too tough. Most of the time you're babysitting or finding lost animals. I recall having to weed a garden once."

With the final test passed, there was nothing holding back the children. They were actually full fledged Genin, ready for action and of course, their first mission. Kiyoshi had hoped he would be doing something significant, a job that would help the Leaf. When he realized they could be doing petty chores, his enthusiasm dropped. Apparently, the other children felt similarly.

"You're joking," Akira frowned, shaking his head.

"There's always a possibility of a C-ranked mission," Shikamaru added. "But they are generally given to more experienced Genin."

When they finally stopped at their destination Kiyoshi was absolutely horrified. For whatever reason, they were standing just outside the wall that had surrounded the Ninja Academy. The young shinobi immediately believed that the last twenty four hours had been a joke, and that Shikamaru had actually failed the trio. Once again, Kiyoshi dismissed his thoughts as paranoid ramblings. His mother had spoken very highly of Shikamaru at the dinner table the night before and a terrible prank such as that would've been too uncharacteristic of him.

"Why are we-" the three children started to say almost simultaneously.

Shikamaru sense their apprehension and spoke quickly. "The building serves two purposes, one of which you already know. Ninja also come here to speak to the Hokage to acquire new missions. Come on."

Shikamaru led his group back into the Academy. Stepping back inside the halls was strange for the children. They never imagined that a day after they graduated, they would be back inside the long white hallways. At the end of one of the particular passages there was a flight of stairs that they ascended. Sure enough, the stairs led to an upper floor. It was wide, perhaps as large as the entire bottom floor. In the back of the huge room was a long table where a few ninja sat, including the Hokage. Above the table there was a large banner that read "everybody, do your best." The ceiling was rather bland except for a black kanji for the word "shinobi."

"Shikamaru, just the Jonin I wanted to see," Kakashi smiled. "You're aware of the recent attacks on the Sand Village?"

"Of course Lord Hokage," Shikamaru nodded.

Recently the Hidden Sand Village had been feuding with the Hidden Rock Village. After the death of Tsuchikage Onoki, Iwagakure had suffered from a famine due to the lack of rains. The Sunagakure was the first to lend a helping hand and offered to supply the struggling village. The Hidden Sand Village did their best to keep Iwagakure stocked with food until the rains returned. However, as the famine continued, food became scarce and Kazekage Gaara was forced to cut the supply of food.

The Hidden Leaf Village stepped in as food was always plentiful, but the new Tsuchikage took the Kazekage's actions as an act of war. Two days ago a group of Rock ninja attacked the Kazekage Mansion. Gaara petitioned the Tsuchikage for an explanation, but he hadn't responded. If it was rogue ninja acting independently of the Hidden Rock Village then surely Gaara would be forgiving, but otherwise he would have no choice, but to engage in a war he had no desire to fight.

"The Kazekage wants to have a word with you," Kakashi said.

"Gaara-sama requested me for a mission?"Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I figure you could drag your team along. It has to be more fun than rescuing cats," Kakashi smiled, motioning to the three Genin who had stood in silence.

"Can we come Shikamaru-sensei? Come on, can we?" Kiyoshi pleaded.

"Yeah Shikamaru-sensei!" Katsu smiled.

Shikamaru sighed. He didn't think the three of them should come, but he didn't want to go against the Hokage's wishes.

"Go get packed. We leave in two hours," Shikamaru said, shaking his head.

'_What am I thinking?' _he frowned.

* * *

"Akira-san! Shikamaru-sensei!" Kiyoshi shouted.

The two ninja turned to see their teammates. They had agreed to meet outside the village gates when everyone was packed and ready to go. The duo had been sure to bring plenty of kunai despite the fact they were only on a C-Ranked mission. They figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Hurry up; it's already a three day trip. We don't want to make it any longer than we have to," Shikamaru frowned.

"Ready?" Akira said.

Kiyoshi and Katsu nodded. They weren't sure what to expect when they reached the Hidden Sand Village. Would they be helping with reconstruction or simply following Shikamaru around? Either way it was exciting to do something different for once.

The four took off in the direction Shikamaru had pointed to be the Sand Village. He had mentioned that it would take approximately three days to reach their destination. He had never been away from the Leaf Village for so long, at least not that he could recall, and he was excited at the chance to meet the Kazekage.

'_Three days by treetop or on foot?' _Kiyoshi thought.

Shikamaru was a decent distance in front of the three ninja, and Kiyoshi figured it was a perfect time to get to know their new teammate.

"So, we obviously know plenty about each other," he said, motioning to Katsu. "What about you?"

"Hmm?" Akira said, looking over to Kiyoshi. "I guess you'll just have to wait and find out. I'm not much of a talker. Not very… personal."

"Oh," Kiyoshi responded, slightly taken aback. He had hoped that he might've been able to learn a little about his new companion, but he couldn't make Akira talk.

"Forget about him," Katsu scowled. Katsu and Akira looked at each other. Kiyoshi could feel the tension between the two and felt it was best to try and change the subject.

"Why do u think the Kazekage wants to speak with Shikamaru-sensei?"

"Shikamaru-sensei is regarded around the world as a master strategist and tactician. Gaara-sama probably wants his opinion because of his reputation," Akira shrugged.

"Oh, that does make sense," Kiyoshi nodded.

"Wrong you dobe," Katsu laughed.

"Excuse me?" Akira asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gaara-sama is Shikamaru-sensei's brother-in-law."

"The Kazekage is Shikawa's uncle?" Kiyoshi said in disbelief. He was learning so much today and he was starting to think that Akira and Katsu were just messing with him.

"Are the three of you done yapping back there," Shikamaru shrugged. He stopped running and waited for the three Genin to catch up to his position. "It will take too long to go by foot. Have any of you ever traveled by treetop?

They all shook their heads no to which Shikamaru just sighed. He jumped up and found a low hanging branch, effortlessly landing on his feet.

"But we could fall off," Akira said, finally showing some concern.

"And die," Kiyoshi added. "Okay maybe not die, but horribly mangled."

Despite his better judgment, Kiyoshi resolved not to disappoint Shikamaru. He saw two relatively low hanging branches, using the first to propel himself upwards to grab onto the higher hanging branch. After a moment he was able to pull himself up.

"You're going to fall," Akira laughed.

Katsu just shrugged and followed Kiyoshi's lead, jumping up the same tree as he had, although a little more gracefully. Akira took one final deep and ran up to a second tree, using his momentum to propel himself upward where he managed to grab a low hanging branch. Still using his momentum to his advantage, Akira swung from the branch to another close tree and pushed himself up again so that he was now on level with his teammates.

"Show-off," Kiyoshi brooded. He took a deep breath and jumped to the closest branch, almost losing his balance and tumbling down to the forest floor. Katsu and Akira did the same and, after a short bit of practice, the trio was able to keep up with their sensei.

* * *

"So, the question remains; what to be done with the Sand Village," Hokage, Kakashi Hatake frowned.

The rokudaime called an emergency meeting of the village leaders to discuss the growing hostilities between Sunagakure and Iwagakure. Many of the ninja who should've been in the meeting, mainly Neji, Shikamaru, and Choji, were already at the Sand Village helping reconstruction. Luckily, Guy was there as were plenty of other ninja whom Kakashi trusted.

"We help them of course," Sakura said, standing up. "Gaara has always been there for us."

"When he's not destroying us," Kiba frowned. He recalled memories of the Chunin Exams when he was younger. Gaara had left a path of destruction in his wake as he and Orochimaru attacked the Leaf.

"You know he's not like that anymore," Temari scolded. "Gaara has been one of the biggest advocates for piece since he became Kazekage. We were all misled by Orochimaru."

"Why are you even here?" Kiba frowned. "Her opinion is biased."

"She has more than enough credentials to qualify for these meetings," Kakashi defended.

"Thank you Kakashi-sama."

"That being said, I too think you should step outside for a moment," he nodded.

"What?" she yelled, getting to her feet. "This is ridiculous!"

"Finally," Tenten agreed, sitting back in her chair. "Come on, get out of here."

"Still sore from the Chunin exams Tenten?" Sakura laughed.

Temari gave Sakura a smile and the two exchanged a slight nod. They had become friends ever since Temari had moved to the Leaf Village to be with her husband Shikamaru. Now that her teammates were gone, Sakura had been looking for a friend to talk to and Temari, being of similar position, found comfort in the friendship Sakura could give.

Yamato had been sitting silently in the back of the room as he wasn't quite sure what should be done. He hadn't known Gaara as well as the younger generation so his obvious plan was to sit back and allow them the privilege to decide. He wasn't really supposed to be in these meetings either, but Kakashi kept him around because of the bond the two Jonin shared. Regardless, he rather kept quiet, that was, until the discussion led to petty argument.

"Why not call a meeting at the Hokage Summit," the older ninja finally piped up. "This way the Tsuchikage will have to respond to you, Kakashi-sempai."

"That was my first thought, but Guy and I agreed we cannot call a meeting of the Kage," Kakashi said, shaking his head.

"As you're all aware, the Hidden Sound Village has been pushing for their own leader to be recognized at the Kage Summit," Guy began. "If we call a meeting now, we might have to acknowledge their demands."

"Why not give them what they want?" Kiba shrugged. "With Orochimaru gone-"

"How are you so sure Orochimaru's 'gone?'" Sakura frowned. "How are we so sure he's still not pulling the strings in the Sound Village?"

"At least they have the courage to take a side!" Kiba yelled, standing to his feet. "The Sound Village has already allied itself with the Sand Village. Listen, these attacks are going to escalade, and we need to be on the winning team!"

Guy had been staying quite, not offering his opinion, as he too felt the others were more than capable of deciding Konoha's course of action. Guy wasn't too well versed in foreign affairs and typically only did what he felt was right, not what was smart. However, there was one opinion in the room he valued more than anyone else's, and that person had not yet spoken.

"What do you think Lee?" Guy asked.

Rock Lee stood. Time had changed the man greatly. He was no longer the rambunctious failure who had to prove himself. Lee had become well known throughout the world as a powerful fighter, and a voice of courage and compassion that rivaled Naruto Uzumaki. From time-to-time his outburst of youth overtook him, typically when he spoke about his son Kiyoshi.

"Gaara is a leader wise beyond his years," he said, looking at the remaining shinobi in the room. "He will only go to war if there is no other option. If it comes to that, Konoha should always remain a faithful ally of the Sand Village. He would do the same for us."

"Thank you," Temari sighed. "Finally, someone makes sense."

"I agree," Kakashi nodded. "We can't forget Gaara's selfless actions during the Shinobi World War. If nothing else, we owe him support."

"If there's one thing I've learned throughout my time as a Leaf shinobi, it's that as ninja we are supposed to do what is smart. As a Leaf Ninja, we always do what is right," Rock Lee nodded. "We could stay out of it, but the choice would burn in our conscious forever.

* * *

"It's been two whole days Shikamaru-sensei," Kiyoshi frowned. He was slowing down and finding it difficult to keep up with his teammates.

"Come on, we're almost there," the Jonin replied.

Travel had been rather uneventful. The two days had been travelled in relative silence. Kiyoshi spend most of his time talking to Katsu about the jutsu they planned on learning. Akira and Shikamaru had spent much of the two days speaking about foreign affairs. Akira had wanted to learn all about his sensei.

"Wait," Shikamaru said, stopping on a particularly sturdy looking branch. "Did you hear that?"

"Byakugan!" Akira exclaimed. The veins around his eyes bulged and became far more pronounced. His pupils too grew slightly in size. "I don't sense anything Shikamaru-sensei."

"Doesn't matter. There are many ways to remain undetected by the Byakugan, you'll learn that soon enough."

"We don't hear anything," Katsu agreed, looking around. She began to worry, and dropped to the floor in an attempt to get a better view of the area. "Where's it coming from?"

That was when they all heard it, the sound that had alerted Shikamaru. It was a low growl that seemed to shake the very branches the on which the ninja stood.

"Sorry, I guess I'm hungry," Kiyoshi laughed, sitting on his branch.

Shikamaru and the two Genin dropped their guard. He shook his head and let out a deep sigh, dropping down to stand by his two students.

'_This kid…'_ he thought to himself.

"Alright, we'll stop to eat. We're close to the Desert Area and it's just much further passed that," the Jonin nodded.

Kiyoshi smiled and pulled a package out of his backpack to make food. The boy had always had an innate talent for the culinary arts, something that his teammates would no doubt appreciated in the future.

He leaned over a branch and dropped Katsu a package of instant dumplings for her lunch, and attempted to do the same for Akira. The branch he was sitting on gave way and he fell. Kiyoshi wasn't too high up, but the fall would have been enough to hinder their process for a few hours if Akira didn't grab his arm.

"Told you that you'd fall," he winked.

"Let me go you jackass!"

"…I'm pretty sure you don't want me to do that."

Kiyoshi sneered at him as Akira pulled the boy onto a thicker branch. Kiyoshi, Akira, and Shikamaru jumped to the floor to join the kunoichi.

"What's this?" Katsu said, turning her head sideways. A scroll had fallen out of Kiyoshi's knapsack when he had fallen.

"Nothing!" Kiyoshi said in a panic, grabbing the paper from his teammate. It was small, much smaller than the Scroll of Seals. It fit easily in someone's grasp, but that didn't mean much. Small scrolls like that could carry much larger items.

"What's inside Kiyoshi," Shikamaru frowned, picking up on the young shinobi's apprehension. The sensei extended his hand and forced Kiyoshi to hand over the scroll he had kept hidden away in his backpack. Shikamaru activated the container and another scroll appeared in its place. This one was much larger than the original. It had a greenish color to it with the kanji for "forbidden" coating the backside. "You idiot!"

Shikamaru quickly resealed the Scroll of Seals and placed it within his flak jacket.

"I'm sorry Shikamaru-sensei," Kiyoshi frowned and bowing his head.

"You don't understand what you've just done."

"I thought if I took the scroll, I could finish learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu."

"By taking the scroll, you've made us the target of every bandit and S-Ranked criminal!"

Shikamaru-sensei was almost uncharacteristically angered by what Kiyoshi had done and rightfully so. The scroll contained all of the Leaf's hidden jutsu, making them highly classified documents. Simply because the four were travelling with the scroll instantly transformed this simple C-ranked mission to an S-rank.

"I'm-I'm sorry Shikamaru-sensei," the boy stammered. "I-I didn't know. Kiyoshi's eyes grew wide and Shikamaru could see the tears forming in the child's eyes.

'_Geesh, what a drag."_

Losing his cool had done nothing, but make a twelve year old cry. The shinobi took a deep breath and placed his hand on Kiyoshi's head, ruffling his hair a little bit. At least now he knew that Kiyoshi was a little more sensitive than the other two.

"I'm sorry for yelling, I know you were just trying to get stronger so that you could help the team," Shikamaru sighed. "Come on; let's get set for some luch.

Kiyoshi dried his tears and looked up at Shikamaru. The boy opened up his pack again and pulled out a steel pot and a container of instant ramen as well as a black container. Katsu found some wood and made a make-shift fire so that Kiyoshi could cook the food.

"Oh, we have a problem," Kiyoshi laughed.

"What now?" Akira frowned.

"I forgot water for your instant ramen."

"We passed a lake about ten minutes back. We should stock up on water anyway," Shikamaru sighed, standing up. "Hold onto this. If anyone comes, burn it." He handed Akira the scroll containing the Scroll of Seals. No one would suspect three Genin to be carrying such an important artifact.

Shikamaru jumped off, leaving the three children to themselves. He planned on being fast, only leaving his subordinates for short time. Normally it wouldn't matter any, but the scroll was too valuable to lose.

Just as their sensei left, Kiyoshi pulled out a container filled with water and laughed slightly to himself. He always had water with him. He just needed to think of some excuse to get their sensei away from the campfire.

"You found your water?" Akira questioned.

"Nah, I never lost it," Kiyoshi winked back. He pulled out the mystery black container and revealed a large freshly cut mackerel. "I packed Shikamaru-sensei's favorite lunch. Figured we could all surprise him."

"Niceee," Katsu nodded.

"Suck up," Akira frowned.

"Dobe!" Katsu yelled back at him.

"Teme!" he said, raising his fists.

Katsu pulled a kunai from her pocket. She had enough of Akira's mouth. Kiyoshi had been nothing but king to him, but the dobe had found fault in everything he had done. It was about time that someone put him in him in his place.

"Settle down," a voice said from behind. The three swiveled their heads to see Shikamaru standing by their side. "I couldn't find the lake so we'll just keep moving."

Kiyoshi hung his head; he hadn't had a chance to cook his sensei a surprise lunch. After the four had cleaned the area, Shikamaru took back the Scroll of Seals from Akira. When everything was finished, the team leapt back onto the tree tops and continued moving forward.

Kiyoshi felt it was best not to speak. Shikamaru was already angry with him and Kiyoshi feared he would only make it worse. He had made so many mistakes in the last few days, and all he really wanted to do was succeed and help his team. He wanted to do something that would make Guy proud.

'_To be a splendid ninja.'_

That was when he heard the scream. It was Katsu's voice.

Kiyoshi looked up to see he had lost track of his team. He picked up his pace, jumping from each tree faster than he ever had before. There was a bright light up ahead, perhaps indicating a clearing of some sort. He figured he had to get there as quickly as possible. If Katsu was screaming that could've meant his entire team was in danger.

"Shadow clone Jutsu," the ninja said, his voice almost inaudible. In a few seconds he was face-to-face with three ninja that all looked exactly the same. If they were Chunin, he stood a chance, but he couldn't defeat a Jonin.

Katsu and Akira stood on Kiyoshi's right. He had arrived before she had gotten hurt. Kiyoshi took a deep breath or relief and stood in his Iron Fist stance.

"He-he just ripped off his face. It wasn't Shikamaru-sensei," Katsu said in disbelief.

Kiyoshi figured the trio couldn't sit around and wait so he tossed a first kunai and followed up with a Leaf Hurricane Technique. Katsu took her teammates lead and shot a few fireballs to try and disrupt the ninja. One broke off formation and rushed towards Akira who responded with a few shuriken of his own.

"Shadow Shuriken Replication!" he called. The few turned into twenty five, and they weren't just copies like Shikawa's. They were solid clones. Kiyoshi knew it wasn't the best time to think of it, but Akira probably could've helped him learn the shadow clones jutsu.

The ninja stepped back and retaliated with a punch of his own. Kiyoshi blocked it, sending the ninja off balance and the Genin took the chance to follow up with his newest technique. "Leaf Whirlwind!" He spun and did a quick low kick to disorient his opponent. The ninja jumped back again, to avoid the attack, but Kiyoshi was too fast. He used his hands to spin himself around a second time but with more force. He caught the ninja's shins with a powerful kick that caused him to fall to his knees. Kiyoshi responded by using his hands once more and kicking straight in the air, bashing the rogue ninja's jaw with with the heel of his foot. "Leaf Rising Wind!" Any normal individual would have fallen back, but he barely shuttered.

His neck cracked as he returned his face to a forward position. He looked towards Kiyoshi and gave him a smile that chilled his very soul. "How does it feel to be so helpless?" He kicked Kiyoshi in the chest with a powerful thrust and tossed the child flat on his back. Kiyoshi struggled to get to his feet, and almost threw up.

He noticed to his left, Akira was unconscious, left in a pool of his own blood. Shuriken and kunai protruded from his body in all directions. Katsu was to his right, held by one of the three shinobi clones. His right arm gripped her neck as the other pressed a kunai to her throat.

"Katsu!" Kyoshi screamed, running over. Just as he was about to land a punch on the shinobi, he sliced the kunai sideways. There was so much blood. It spattered on Kiyoshi's face and he completely felt the will to fight leave his body. He shuttered and fell to his knees. The shinobi discarded her body, throwing it next to Akira's. "K-K-Katsu! Akira! No!"

Kiyoshi stood and turned to the three shinobi, screamed as loudly as he could muster. He rushed towards them, but five chains shot from the forest floor, wrapping around his legs, arms, and neck. The boy tried to break free, but the chains tightened. He was choking, and there was no way to get out of this.

'_Calm down! Calm down! You can't die here! You just can't!' _he screamed in his head.

Tears began to roll down Kiyoshi's face, and he gave up all hope. The ground around him started to sway and the grass began to die away. It was getting difficult to see as his breathing was severely slowed. The two ninja clones disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the third began to break up, his body swaying back and forth.

'_I can't believe I'm going to die.'_

The darkness overtook him, and he drifted off into an unending sleep.

And that's when the kunai pierced my skin.

"Shit!" Kiyoshi yelled, his eyes shot open and a wave of adrenaline overcame his body. Katso pulled the kunai from her teammates arm and wrapped it quickly with a piece of fabric she pulled off her clothes to stop the bleeding.

'_It was just a Genjutsu,_' he told himself. _'She's…okay.'_

"I'll explain later," Katsu said, standing and holding the kunai in her right hand. She took a fighting stance and made a hand sign. Akira was tossed back, losing his katana, by a shinobi Kiyoshi had never seen before. Kiyoshi managed to drive one of his katana into the ground to steady himself.

Kiyoshi looked at his attacker…the ninja looked nothing like the one in his genjutsu. He was a taller man, probably a little taller than six foot or so. He wore a black jacket over a white t-shirt and dark brown pants. He had regular ninja grade sandals and had a forehead head protector that he actually used covered his forehead. It was different than Kiyoshi's though. The symbol on his headband was shaped like an hour glass, but for some reason, there was a slash through the metal over the symbol.

Kiyoshi was still a little shaken up and he struggled to stand, holding his left arm where the kunai had cut him. He didn't know at the time, but excruciating pain had the ability to awaken someone from a Genjutsu.

"An Uchiha, a Jinchuriki, and the Scroll of Seals," the ninja said. His mouth was covered by a cowl and even though the Genin couldn't exactly see his face, they could tell he was smiling. "This must be my lucky day." Kiyoshi didn't know what a Jinjuriki was, but he could see that the ninja already had the scroll in his hands. They had to act quickly, they couldn't let Shikamaru Sensei down and let this man get away with such an important piece of parchment. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The man made the correct hand signs and a shadow clone appeared beside him. "The two of you are coming with me."

Katsu shot a fireball at the one she assumed to be real, but he quickly dodged and lunged forward. Akira pulled off the bandages around his arm and held it to the ground. There was a flash of light and in his hands appeared a kusarigama, a long chain with a scythe at the opposite end. He tossed it at the attacker, but it was going to come too late.

"Leaf Whirlwind!" Kiyoshi jumped out from beside Katsu, despite his condition, in an attempt to throw off the ninja's course. Kiyoshi thought he had already lost her once today. He wasn't going to let it happen again. The ninja took the two hits and was tossed back slightly, but Kiyoshi needed a follow up attack quickly. That's when Akira's scythe came into view. Kiyoshi grabbed it as it flew passed and pulled on the chain as hard as he could. Hopefully he didn't catch Akira too off guard.

He wasn't. He came soaring through the air with his sword in hand, aimed at the struggling assailant. Kiyoshi didn't know why, but he closed his eyes when the impact came. The thought of blood frightened him just for a moment, but when he opened my eyes, the clone just vanished.

'_Dammit!_' he thought.

"Shit, I thought that was the real one," Katsu exclaimed. Kiyoshi helped Akira steady himself after being ripped across the battlefield by nothing more than a chain.

"Nice move," he said.

"No, problem."

The real ninja made his move, leaping into the air, "Lightning Ball." His raised his hand and a huge orb of electricity formed in an instant. He threw it at the boys, but they managed to dodge just in time. Kiyoshi was by Akira's lost sword and he took the opportunity to grab it and toss it to his comrade. Akira caught it, quickly sheathing it in its appropriate holder.

"Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Katsu exclaimed, breaking the moment of silence. She shot a few medium sized fireballs, and Akira responded by throwing his chain at the assailant. He was so preoccupied in the fire he didn't notice it wrap around his legs.

"Gotcha," Akira smiled. The shinobi just laughed and held up his arms. He brought them crashing down as he countered with a technique of his own.

"Lightning Beast!" A hound draped in lightning, much larger than the three of children materialized, charging towards the little group. It enveloped the fireball attack, and sent a shockwave of electricity through Akira's chains, effectively rendering him unconscious. "Finish it!"

The beast charged, but Kiyoshi knew he couldn't get out of the way in time. It was going to hit him no matter what way he went. His fear had caused him to waste too much time and now he couldn't respond

'_Move! Come on, move!_' his brain frantically yelled to his body.

Something shot from above, impaling the beast about a foot in front of where I stood. I wasn't about to question divine will and attempted to follow up with another Leaf Hurricane, but a figure jumped from the clearing directly in front of me. Four more kunai shot from above, hitting the ninja's hand, causing him to drop the scroll, reeling back in pain.

Kiyoshi saw his moment. He ran forward and slid right past his opponent, reaching the Scroll of Seals. He grabbed it and tossed it to Katsu who placed it on her back. Kiyoshi feared for the worst, and, just as he was about to tell his teammate to burn the scroll, Shikamaru appeared, directly in the center of the battle.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, chakra blades in hand. "Take Akira and run. I'll hold this joker off."

The ninja was taken aback by the sudden intrusion.

Shikamaru Nara, the shadow ninja," the sand ninja frowned. He clapped his hands a bolt of lightning shot from the sky, hitting him directly like some sort of human lightning rod. There was a huge flash and he disappeared.

To this day Kiyoshi wasn't sure why the ninja ran. Perhaps it was because he had lost the book. Perhaps it was because he wasn't sure if he could handle a one-on-four battle. Most likely, it was because he, like so many other ninja, feared the man known far and wide as the Shadow Assailant.


	4. Chapter Four: The Sand's in Danger

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Four- The Sand's in Danger: Gaara's Final Decision

"Oh, Shikamaru," Gaara said, taking a seat at the end of a rather long table. "We've been waiting for your arrival. Please brother, sit."

The Kazekage's Mansion in the center of the Sand Village was still in shambles. Sand buildings were easily destroyed, but their structure was oddly intricate. Rebuilding was taking longer than the Kazekage had hoped, forcing Gaara and the Village Council to convene in another, much smaller building.

The room was dimly lit, the only light being a small lamp hanging from the center of the ceiling. The room itself was not very furnished. Only a long, oval-shaped table with a few wooden chairs scattered around. There weren't many shinobi, maybe only twelve or so. Shikamaru assumed most of them were probably clan leaders, but he couldn't know for sure. Choji Akimichi was among them though, a fact that made him feel slightly more comfortable.

"So, the question is still on the table," one of the men said, folding his hands. "How do we respond?"

"We've been docile long enough," said another, bringing his right fist down on the table. Shikamaru could feel the man's anger boil. His frustration was justified, at least, in Shikamaru's mind. "We should strike back!"

"Most of us are inclined to agree," said another ninja.

"Please, reconsider," Choji piped up after a moment. "At least wait for a response from the Tsuchikage."

"And if he doesn't respond?" asked the first ninja, folding his arms out of discontent.

"Then allow me to talk to the Hokage. Perhaps I can convince him to assist you," Choji added.

"I implore you to listen to what he says," Gaara frowned. "We still have no proof that the shinobi acted under direct orders of the Tsuchikage."

"You know that bastard was behind this!" the same ninja said, this time standing.

"Taiki," Gaara frowned, standing as well so that he could see eye-to-eye with the Council member. "We all understand that tensions are high-"

"But you are out of line," Kankuro asserted.

"Forgive me, lord Kazekage," the ninja bewailed, bowing his head.

"It's alright. There was no harm done, but calling for war is not a reasonable solution," Gaara shook his head.

"Especially when you're trying to threaten a nation that is militarily superior, more economically sound, and higher populated than your own," Shikamaru said. He couldn't resist adding his own two cents- couldn't help but feel that this meeting was unnecessary. Until the Leaf agreed to assist, Suna couldn't hope to defeat Iwagakure. It was a near impossibility. He didn't mean to rain on their parade, but it was his job to look at the facts.

'_I should really check on the kids…_' Shikamaru sighed.

* * *

"Katsu-san!" Kiyoshi screamed, opening his eyes and sitting upright. Tears were flowing from his face and he had a cold sweat dripping from his brow. What was it that he had just seen in his nightmares? It was something that he could not understand, a scream crying out to him. It was Katsu's voice screaming out in pain.

'_K-Katsu-san_' he thought, covering his eyes. He wiped the tears away and sat back in his hospital bed, realizing it wasn't the best time to cry. He had to find out where he was, and, more importantly, where his team was.

He was obviously in Sunagakure, the sand building made that rather clear. Oddly enough, the inside of the buildings weren't made completely of sand and seemed to have some actual structure to them. There were tiled floors and ceilings, which seemed to be rather smooth to the touch.

"Are you alright?" Akira asked. He was in his own bed across from Kiyoshi's. The young Genin appeared as though he had been up for hours, simply sitting in silence.

"Yeah… just nightmares," Kiyoshi frowned, pulling his knees in close to his chest.

"I understand. I used to have them all the time," he sighed, standing up from the bed. "Hey uh, back there in the woods, that was pretty quick thinking. Pulling the chain, sending me hurtling through the air, well, it was smart."

"Thanks," Kiyoshi laughed, rubbing the back of his head and neck.

They talked for a few minutes about the battle, laughing as though they were friends. Kiyoshi realized that Akira might not have been the broody "tough guy" that he thought he was. For a moment, they were just two young boys having a nice time.

"We should go find Shikamaru-sensei and Katsu-teme," Akira said, standing to his feet. He gave Kiyoshi a small wink, and grabbed his equipment that was resting against his bedside. Kiyoshi nodded and tried to stand, but a shooting pain resonated throughout his arm. The young boy cringed, and took a deep breath in an attempt to quell the pain. "Are you alright?"

Kiyoshi gave a thumbs-up to indicate that he was fine, trying again to stand to his feet. The boy pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a line of stitches in his shoulder.

'_From the kunai,_' Kiyoshi realized.

"Alright, I'm good," Kiyoshi smiled, standing to his feet. "Can we get something to eat first? I'm starving and I've heard hospital food is terrible."

Akira laughed. Kiyoshi was like no one he had ever met before. The child seemed to have two motivators. He wanted to prove himself a worthy ninja and eat as much as possible. At first, Akira dismissed him as a failure, an idiot with no talent or skill. However, within the last few days, his teammate had proven that he was more than capable. Even still, he was just so strange.

"Alright, let's go," Akira smiled.

* * *

"I'm sorry I had to involve you," Gaara sighed. The Kazekage sat in a chair around the oblong table the other ninja had previously sat. He had managed to convince the Council to give the Tsuchikage one week to respond to the Sand Village. If the Rock Village didn't convince the Sand of their innocence, Gaara would have no choice but to send a strike team to retaliate. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"It's not your fault," Shikamaru shrugged. "Sorry it took so long to arrive. We met some resistance on the way here."

"An Iwa shinobi?" Gaara said, as if he had accepted the inevitable. If the Rock were attacking random tourists than it would further imply that Iwagakure was purposely antagonizing Suna.

"No. It was a Sand ninja, believe it or not. Used rather advanced lightning style jutsu."

"A Sand ninja… Hinoto," Gaara slammed his fist into the table, and leaned back. The man was under an incredible amount of stress and this just added to his worries. "I had forgotten about him. We held him captive in the basement of the Mansion for interrogation. We believed he had information regarding Iwagakure."

"The attack might've been a ruse to free him."

"I'm afraid this could be just the fuel the Council needs to start a war. Yet another piece of information that I have to keep hidden from them."

"You may have to inform them," Shikamaru said, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Hinoto was after the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki."

Gaara didn't respond. Every piece of evidence pointed to the corruption of the Tsuchikage. It appeared as though his animosity towards the Sand Village was solely a guise, nothing more than a desperate attempt to capture the first of the Jinchuuriki, Gaara's only daughter, Sonzai. However, Gaara couldn't jump to conclusions. Iwa possessed a superior military force. If the Kazekage was going to start a war, it would be for just reasons. It couldn't be started on false preemptive strikes.

"What would you do?" Gaara said, standing.

"Excuse me?"

"If you were in my position-"

"You're in an impossible situation," Shikamaru answered truthfully. "I'll talk to Kakashi-sama and see if we can offer support."

"No, not that," the Kazekage replied. "I've already decided I will not declare war against the Hidden Rock Village unless Suna blood is spilled. I'm talking about my daughter. If she's in danger… what should I do?"

"I-I'm not sure. If my son was in danger… Well, I guess I'd never let Shikawa out of my sight."

* * *

Sand rained from the skies.

Katsu lifted a kunai from her holster and slashed at the sand, causing it to fall harmlessly to her sides. She twirled the kunai once and charged forward, leaping high into the air with her kunai poised to strike down on her opponent. Another stream of sand shot at her side, intercepting her body, and tossing her to the ground.

Katsu looked at her attacker and stood. She wasn't going to go down so easily. The kunoichi pulled out eight senbon, throwing them in sets of four one after another. The ninja used the sand around her feet to block the projectiles, but the pause was enough to allow Katsu the ability to use her Phoenix Flower Jutsu.

Again, the ninja batted away the flames as though they were nothing. Katsu realized her offensive maneuvers were useless. Her enemy's defense was just too strong. As long as she had sand around her, Katsu was never going to be able to land a solid hit.

Her opponent was none-other than the Kazekage's daughter, Sonzai. The child was on the shorter size, being similar in height to Kiyoshi. Her outfit consisted of a long red coat that fell to her feet with black Suna Sandals. Over top of her coat, Sonzai donned a long black scarf that too hung somewhere near her feet. When Kankuro had introduced the two, Sonzai claimed that the best way for shinobi to become acquainted was to do battle. Katsu never turned down a challenge, not even a friendly sparring match.

"You are rather resourceful," Sonzai said, a slight smile on her face. "Do not be so disappointed. No one has ever managed to harm me."

"First time for everything, isn't there?" Katsu laughed, pulling another kunai from her pocket.

"Not always."

Sonzai raised her hands, creating pillars of sand that surrounded her. Her power was immense, superior to Katsu's in every way. The Leaf Ninja was too stubborn to accept that her adversary had strength that exceeded her own.

Katsu rushed forward, and an arm of sand grabbed onto her leg. The sand appendage lifted her high into the air and slammed her down on the hot sand floor. Katsu turned and tried to slash through the sand with her kunai. The sand tether holding her down simply absorbed the kunai into itself.

"I'm not done yet! Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Katsu exclaimed, shooting her fire directly at the sand that had pinned her down. The fire turned the sand rather brittle, allowing the kunoichi to flip to her feet.

Katsu rushed forward again, this time diving under the sand that attacked her. She leapt high into the air and thrust the kunai downwards, trying desperately to land a hit on the Sand Ninja. Once again, the sand rose from the ground, blocking the attack, and flinging Katsu about ten yards back.

"My defense is impenetrable," Sonzai shrugged. "But still, I expected more from the last living member of Konoha's 'legendary' Uchiha Clan."

"My father is still alive," Katsu said, unsure if what she said was even true. He was banished from the Leaf Village sometime after Katsu's birth for reasons unknown to the young child. She assumed it was because of the same prejudices that she was forced to endure when she was young, back before Kakashi had become Hokage.

"Oh right, Sasuke Uchiha," Sonzai laughed, kicking up the sand around her. She then used her control over the sand to swirl it around her like a tornado. "My father made short work of him in the Chunin Exams back when they were younger."

"Unlikely," Katsu said, shaking her head slightly. "I may not know much about my father, but I do know that he was stronger than most."

"Stronger than the Kazekage?"

Katsu drew another kunai from her holster and held it at her side. She had heard enough of this girl's lies. Her father would not have lost. The only shinobi who had defeated Sasuke were Naruto Uzumaki, Itachi Uchiha, and Kakashi Hatake.

"My father was a great man."

"You don't even know do you?" The ninja dropped the sand around her and her facial expressions changed from one of mild amusement to severe concern.

"Don't know what?"

"Your father's actions… he fought on the side of the Akatsuki during the Fourth Shinobi World War."

"Liar!" Katsu spun her kunai in her left hand and tossed it directly at her opponent.

'_She's lying! But… it all makes sense. Everything that happened…'_

_*** "Kakashi-sensei!" Katsu yelled, running home one particular day after school. In those days, Katsu had lived with her mentor and closest friend. Kakashi had not yet been declared Hokage, but it was clear to everyone that he would soon be chosen to succeed Tsunade as Rokudaime._

"_Katsu-chan," Kakashi smiled, placing his hand on the child's head. The young girl smiled and continued speaking about her day, telling Kakashi about the boy named Kiyoshi that she had befriended in class._

_Katsu had only been seven years old on that day, when Kakashi was called away to the meeting officially naming him as the new Hokage. Katsu had wanted to go so very badly, but for whatever reason, the meeting had to be held behind closed doors with only the Leaf Village Council present. That also happened to be the fateful day when Kiyoshi and Katsu had become friends._

"_We're buddies right?" Katsu smiled, placing her hand on Kiyoshi's shoulder._

_They had been sitting in the playground of the Konoha Ninja Academy for a few hours. Katsu, who had been bored sitting at home, asked Kiyoshi to spend a few hours having fun while she waited for Kakashi to return. It had been such a lonely existence before that day. _

"_I guess so," the boy answered back. Kiyoshi had not known her for long, but it was nice to have another person he could call a friend. For so long his only friend had been Choya, and even then they were barely comrades._

"_Then can you help me with something?"_

"_Sure," he smiled, jumping to the swing set._

"_I want to watch Kakashi-sensei's ceremony."_

"_You're not allowed in there," Kiyoshi frowned. _

_Katsu just laughed. She had no intention of allowing a simple thing like that stop her from watching Kakashi become Hokage. She grabbed her friends arm, pulling him through the dark streets of Konoha. It was easily ten o'clock at night and normal civilians were generally in their homes at such a late hour._

_When the duo finally reached the Hokage Mansion they were met with no resistance. It was late, and no shinobi expected a duo of children to be sneaking into restricted areas. Katsu slowly pushed the door open; each creak seemed like an opportunity to be caught. Each step inside was another moment that someone could throw them out._

_There was a shadow up ahead and Kiyoshi grabbed Katsu's shirt, pulling her into a nearby room. It was relatively empty, except for a few filing cabinets filled with folders and folders of documents. Kiyoshi peaked out through the crack in the door to see two shinobi walk by, unaware of the children hiding in the side room._

"_That was close," Kiyoshi whispered, sitting down on the hardwood floor. The boy heard a soft mumble, almost as if he could hear someone talking. It sort of reminded him of Kakashi's voice._

"_Do you hear that?" Katsu said, her eyes growing wide. She placed her ear near the ground and realized they must've been just above the meeting room. She could hear everything that Kakashi had been saying. "Shut up and listen."_

"_Now for the more pressing matter at hand," a voice Katsu was unfamiliar with spoke. "The termination of Katsu Uchiha."_

_"T-termination?" Kakashi stammered. _

"_You've done a wonderful job training the child," said an older, female voice. "But it is clear her growth may be too rapid. We've seen time and again that the Uchiha Clan do nothing but bring about death and destruction. She must be put down."_

"_Put…down," Katsu said, removing her ear from the flooring. It was as if she was just some dog to whomever spoke about her, nothing more than a mongrel who was a little too big for her leash._

"_Homura…Koharu…" Kakashi's voice emanated loudly. "You're fired." ***_

Katsu's kunai was batted away by Sonzai's sand. The Sunagakure Ninja grew tired of the sparring match and decided it was time to end the battle.

"Sand Coffin!" the child exclaimed extending her hand outwards, causing the sand floor Katsu stood on to cave in on itself slightly. The Leaf Ninja lost her footing and fell to her knees, dropping her kunai on the desert floor. The sand surrounded the child an instant after, packing her in tightly so that she could no longer move. "Game over."

"Tell me the truth," Katsu yelled. She didn't care about the battle, she just needed to know what her father had done. She needed to know why she was seen as such a threat. She had to know. "What did my father do?"

"Nothing really, at least not during the Fourth Shinobi War. However, it's believed by many that, years later, he killed Naruto Uzumaki." Sonzai answered as she released her sand from the distraught Konoha Genin.

Katsu couldn't believe her ears. Could her father really have killed the great Naruto Uzumaki? If it were true, it would answer so many of Katsu's questions; why her father disappeared, why she had been sentenced to death at a young age by the Konoha Council. Could that really have been the reason?

"All alone, and so far from home?" a voice said from all around. The air in front of the two kunoichi seemed to flicker and, in a mere moment, the familiar structure of a ninja appeared.

"H-Hinoto?!" Sonzai yelled, jumping back.

"Calm down child," the ninja smiled. "I'm not here for the One-Tails Jinjuriki. Yet. I'm only interested in the Uchiha, but get in the way and I can't promise you won't be hurt."

Katsu knew she couldn't outrun this guy. The Jonin had shown an amazing capability to travel far distances in a rather short amount of time. If she ran, it wouldn't be a matter of "if," but when she was caught. They had to stand and fight.

"What's your fixation with me?" Katsu asked, drawing a kunai and holding it to her side. "It's unhealthy!"

"Don't flatter yourself kid," Hinoto said, shaking his head. "My boss thinks you'd make a rather interesting bargaining chip with the Hokage. You have one chance to come along quietly." The ninja extended his hand, creating a ball of lightning in it.

"No chance!" Sonzai nodded, lifting her arms to control the sand around her.

"No, get out of here!" Katsu said, stepping in front of her ally.

"Are you crazy?"

"If he kills us both, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves. You need to go get help."

"But-"

"Just go!"

Sonzai nodded, taking off in the direction of the Sand Village. Hinoto didn't even raise a finger to stop her. Capturing Katsu was a task he imagined would take mere seconds. He didn't have to worry about reinforcements.

"Come on kid," the Jonin laughed. "Show me the strength of the Uchiha clan!"

Katsu rushed the Jonin, twirling the kunai once in her fingertips, and angling it to strike. Hinoto grabbed the child's wrist just before the attack connected; delivering a punch to her face that sent her reeling back. Katsu stopped her backwards momentum and charged again, this time leaping in the air for a roundhouse kick. Hinoto intercepted the Genin's attack, delivering yet another strong blow directly to Katsu's midsection. She refused to go down and tackled the Jonin's legs in an attempt to knock back her superior opponent. It didn't work and he held his ground.

"Try this! Lightning Style: Shockwave!" Hinoto channeled pure energy through his body, electrocuting his young adversary. The child squealed out in pain, unable to let go of the Jonin. "Poor thing."

"G-get away!" Katsu screamed when she finally fell to the floor. The hot sand scorched her arms as she desperately tried to crawl away. She cursed herself momentarily for having battled so aggressively against Sonzai. Perhaps if she had kept her stamina she'd have been able to put up more of a fight against Hinoto.

"Now, you're coming with me," Hinoto smiled, placing his hand a few inches away from her eyes. "Lightning Release: Thunder Bullet."

"Get away!" Katsu shouted once more. "Stay away!"

Something changed within Katsu. All of her fear and stress had manifested itself into a physical form. The irises of her eyes turned a deep, blood-red color while the pupils themselves became as black as any night sky. A single black tomoe surrounded her pupil in each eye.

Too bad it wouldn't be enough to save her.

"Leaf Hurricane!" A familiar voice exclaimed, hitting Hinoto with two powerful blows to the side. The ninja was tossed back, disrupting his jutsu. Before the ninja could steady himself, a hail of arrows fell from the sky onto his position.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Vortex!" the ninja responded quickly, creating a pulsating shield of pure energy around his position. The arrows practically disintegrated upon impact, creating a loud crackling noise with each blow.

Akira landed directly beside Kiyoshi, placing his bow and arrows in the quiver on his back. The Uzumaki felt it was best to use his favorite weapon, his katana, to take out his opponent while Kiyoshi took his iron-fist stance.

"How did you find me?" Katsu said, struggling to her feet.

"Oh, we just- your eyes are bloodshot," Kiyoshi said, raising an eyebrow.

"Can we just get back to the fight!" Akira asked, clenching his single katana tightly with both hands.

"Yeah, you might've caught us off guard last time, but now we're ready for you!" Kiyoshi said confidently, giving his teammates a sly smile. In truth, he was terribly frightened, but he couldn't let his opponent or his teammates know that.

"Try this, Crescent Strike!" Akira slashed his sword horizontally, creating a thin, blue wave of chakra that sped forward dangerously. Hinoto charged forward, dashing directly at the shiny blue projectile. Just as the attack was about to connect, Hinoto effortlessly flipped over the attack.

Kiyoshi leapt in front of Katsu, holding his hands up in a defensive position to protect his friend, hoping his arms would soften the blow. Katsu wouldn't let her teammate be hurt in her stead. The kunoichi jumped over Kiyoshi, attacking with a powerful downwards kick just as Hinoto came into view. Her attack connected with the top of her enemy's head, sending him face down into the dirt.

"You got him!" Kiyoshi smiled, punching his fist into the air triumphantly. Katsu turned to do the same, but Hinoto wasn't finished by the child's simple attack. The ninja grabbed onto her ankle, using his shockwave jutsu once more; this time using enough energy to knock the child out.

"Let her go!" Kiyoshi screamed, throwing a powerful punch at the rogue ninja. Hinoto used his superior strength to easily block the blow and delivered a kick of his own in retaliation, landing a direct hit on the Genin's chin. That was when Akira felt it was time to strike, bringing down his sword directly on Hinoto. The Jonin used the metal bracers on his arm to block the sharp blade. Akira quickly leapt back, throwing a few kunai in an attempt to free Katsu from their enemy's grasp.

Hinoto dodged the projectiles again with a simple side-step and took the moment of reprieve to hang Katsu over his shoulder like a rag-doll. He looked at his two pint sized opponents and laughed. His mission was already complete. It was icing on the cake to be able to grab the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki.

"Leaf-" Kiyoshi started to say, but his abdomen met with Hinoto's fist, knocking the wind out of the boy. The Genin doubled over, but Hinoto would not give him a chance to breath. He followed up with a downwards kick to the back Kiyoshi's head. He, like Katsu, was down and out.

"Now it's just you and I," Hinoto smirked, raising his right hand as if to use his Lightning Ball Jutsu.

"Good," Akira smiled. "Now I can use my true strength; without either of them getting in the way."

Akira's confidence was rather offsetting to the Jonin. What could be up the Genin's sleeve? Whatever it was, Hinoto decided, it couldn't be too much for the seasoned Jonin.

"Come on!" Hinoto yelled, his eyes growing wide with excitement. "Show me everything that a freak like you has got!"

Akira grabbed a few shuriken from his pocket and tossed them across the battlefield. Hinoto was easily going to sidestep them once more, but just as they were about to fly past, the projectiles exploded, tossing the ninja back a few yards. He dropped Katsu in his confusion, cursing the Uzumaki boy as he regained his composure.

Akira rushed forward, poising the katana to strike. Just as he was a few steps away, the Genin dropped a smoke pellet, creating a thick cloud of smoke which Hinoto couldn't see through. With no wind style at his disposal, the Hinoto was literally a sitting duck for the boy and his Byakugan. All he could do was wait and respond to the Genin's attacks.

They never came.

As the smoke finally started to dissipate, Hinoto could make out a small figure in the distance. The ninja used his lightning ball jutsu on the target, hitting it dead on. When the smoke cleared, Hinoto could see that the figure in the distance was nothing more than a mound of sand. The children were nowhere to be seen.

"Well played, Akira Uzumaki," Hinoto smiled, pleased with the battle's outcome, despite his obvious loss. "Well played."

**Just some quick authors notes. Sorry it took so long for this chapter. I rewrote it twice because I simply was not pleased with the outcome. I felt that if I didn't love the chapter than it wasn't ready to be uploaded. The next chapter is coming along quite nicely and should be up soon. Thank you!**


	5. Chapter Five: An Unexpected Surprise

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Naruto**

Chapter Five- An Unexpected Surprise: Squad Fourteen's Final Exam

"This is terrible," Choya frowned, sitting back in his chair. Squad Fourteen was calmly waiting for their sensei to arrive. Sai hadn't met them in their designated meeting place the previous day for their final examination and they were asked to report to this new locatin.

"Relax," Shikawa said, shaking his head. "I'm sure that he'll be here soon."

"He better! We can't eat until he comes and pays for us!"

The new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho was sitting in a rather small restaurant which served Choya's favorite food, barbeque. He had been waiting all day for the all-you-can-eat restaurant - he had even skipped breakfast from anticipation. He could practically feel his stomach churning in on itself.

Shikawa didn't care. Squad Twelve had already left that morning on their first mission to the Sand Village. He too wanted to venture out and accomplish missions for the Leaf, and he couldn't let the others get the better of him. He was anxious to see what his team would be assigned to complete.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asked.

The woman had short, curly brown hair with deep red eyes. They were dark enough to be mistaken for Sharigan, but it was clear to Shikawa that was not the case. Her shirt, which was rather loose, was a pale green color. The rest of her outfit consisted of black leggings underneath a pair of unbuttoned shorts. Her sandals were odd as well, acting more like boots that came up to her mid thigh. She wore blue metal bracers on either arm.

"Everything on the menu!" Choya panicked, his saliva almost dripping out of his mouth.

"Choya-san," Shikawa scolded, looking back at the waitress. "I'm sorry, but we're waiting for our soon-to-be Sensei."

"Oh?" the woman shrugged. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"It's rude," Inoki said, never taking her eyes from the window. She was watching birds in the distance - she had always been fascinated by them.

"I see," she shrugged, sitting next to the children at the table. "And if your sensei said it was alright for you to eat without her?"

"Her?" Shikawa said, raising a single eyebrow.

"Mika Sarutobi, leader of Squad Fourteen," the waitress said, pulling her head band from her pocket. She wrapped it around her to show the Leaf Village insignia brightly around her forehead. "Nice to meet you three." She smiled and gave them all a "thumbs up."

"What…happened to Sai-sensei?" Shikawa questioned. Choya didn't seem to care. When it came to food, he was exactly like Kiyoshi - food almost always came first.

"Sarutobi's always lead the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho," she answered. "It's tradition. Now, go ahead, order whatever you want. I'll think of a good 'final exam' for you in the meantime."

Shikawa didn't seem impressed. Squad Twelve's leader was his father, Shikamaru Nara, one of the strongest ninja in all of Konoha. Mika seemed rather ordinary, almost childlike in personality. Stranger yet, it seemed as though she replaced Sai as though it was planned. It all just seemed rather odd to him.

'_This is my father's protégé,_' Shikawa pondered, sitting back in his chair. '_Not impressive._'

'_Are you so sure?_' Mika thought back.

Shikawa's eyes opened wide. His sensei just winked back at him, and then turned her attention to the menu in front of her. Had she done what he thought she had done?

Things had begun to get slightly more interesting for Shikawa. And for once, he was pleased.

"Alright, so if you can out eat me, you pass," she winked.

"AW HELL YEAH!" Choya exclaimed, attracting the attention of everyone in the restaurant. "Waitress, one of everything!"

"I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into," Mika laughed, putting her face into the palm of her hand.

'_You have got to be kidding me,_' Shikawa frowned, placing his head face down on the table.

'_Do you have anything else in mind?_'

'_Are you sure you're a sensei? My father said something about the bell test. Maybe we could give it a try. I don't want my chances of becoming a Genin left up to an eating contest_."

'_Ditto,_' another voice thought. Shikawa looked over to Inoki, who was still staring intently out the window. It was clear to the boy that he had just heard the young kunoichi think. '_You know, the Yamanaka Clan has a technique similar to this, but it requires physical contact. __That being said,__ I don't want you two in my deepest thoughts._'

So, they could share thoughts now? Shikawa's mind started to race through the possibilities. They could become an unstoppable mind, sharing information and ideas with mere thoughts.

'_Well tell me about it, we have all the time in the world,_' Mika smiled. '_Too bad we will have to upset your friend over there. He seems content._'

* * *

"Alright so the rules are simple," Mika smiled, cracking her knuckles. She drew a cigarette from her pocket and held it up to her mouth. She lit it was a small lighter in her pocket. "Get the bells from me anyway you can. I think it will be more fun if we do one-on-one matches." Miko jingled the three bells around her waist, smiling slightly.

"But I ate more than you," Choya frowned.

The trio found themselves in a large field. The Twenty-Seventh Training ground was rather strange in comparison. Instead of there being a variety of tools and dummies to train with, there was just a large field. No trees or bushes or even a body of water. That meant there was no hiding of any kind - it was clearly intended for an all out battle. That didn't bode well for Shikawa's fighting style.

"You'll each get twenty minutes. Any questions?" the Jonin smiled. "No? Then your time starts now!"

"Alright," Choya smiled. "I'll go first. " The ninja, flatfooted, turned towards his opponent. His arms were outstretched and slightly down at either side. The child was ready to take on his new sensei. Inoki and Shikawa treated him like he was a loser. Now was the time to show his skills. Now was his time to shine. He ran forward, jumping high into the air, using his Expansion Jutsu to greatly increase his body mass. The ninja then began to spin forward, turning his body into a massive bullet like shape. "Human Boulder!"

Mika had more riding on this fight than she had originally thought. She had to first assess her subordinate's skill levels. From what she had heard from Shikamaru and Kakashi, this generation of Ino-Shika-Cho could prove to be the strongest yet, but she would soon see. She also had to prove to the Genin that she was the real deal, not just some joke. So she had to be strong, but not too strong.

Mika first decided to prove her strength. The ninja dug her feet firmly into the ground, and stuck out her arms, catching Choya's rolling body. The speed at which he was moving created a huge amount of friction, but Mika used her power to completely halt Choya's forward momentum. When he stopped rolling, Mika delivered a powerful punch. His body went flying. If there had been any objects in the grassy clearing, he could've easily ricocheted around like a pinball. However, this wasn't the case and he simply was thrown in one direction. The child changed his body back to his regular shape, planting his feet into the dirt to stop his movement.

"You're strong," Choya said, surprised by his sensei's strength. Mika winked back at him, and pulled a kunai from her pocket, tossing it at the Genin. The child expanded his right hand, causing it to grow six times its normal size. He was able to easily knock the projectile away, rushing forward once more. He threw a size-enhanced punch directly at the Jonin. Mika knew she wouldn't be able to simply block the hit this time. It could be done, but the risk was too great. If he landed a lucky hit now she would be in no shape to fight the others. She sidestepped the punch, delivering a roundhouse kick of her own.

Choya ducked underneath the attack, and took a deep breath, swelling the size of his stomach. At close range, the child exhaled a mud bullet, attempting to hit the woman head on. Any normal Jonin might've actually gotten hit with the surprise attack, indicating to Mika that this child did have some talent as the Sixth had suspected, but then again, Mika wasn't your ordinary Jonin. She bent backwards, narrowly sliding underneath the attack.

'_That's it, come at me with everything you've got!_' Mika smiled, delivering a powerful punch that dropped Choya to the ground.

'_I intend to!_' Choya retaliated. "Expansion Jutsu!"

Mika had been standing rather close to Choya, and when his body expanded at such an alarming speed, he was able to catch his sensei off guard. She landed on her backside just as the first alarm rang, indicating that his time had ended.

"Aw man!" Choya frowned, shaking his head. His body deflated and he stood, running over to help his sensei stand.

"Alright, you pass," she smiled, rubbing the back of her head.

"But he didn't-" Shikawa began to say, but he was cut off by his sensei.

"Forget the bells, they're unnecessary. I'm going to judge you simply by your skill and determination. Inoki, you're up next."

The child remained silent, taking a few steps forward to distinguish herself from the other two. She knelt down, grabbing a single flower from the grass. It had a long stem and beautiful white petals. She looked up into the sky, trying to spot a bird, but there weren't any around. She sighed, holding the flower to her side like a kunai.

'_This is frivolous._' Inoki thought. She shook her head to show her distaste.

"Why don't you speak more?" Mika asked. She was curious. Inoki's thoughts revealed so much about her, something that her tongue didn't do.

'_Mother was always so loud. Her voice annoys me, and I presume I just wanted to be different,_' she responded in her thoughts. '_Can we begin now?_'

"Alright then, fine," Mika said, shaking her head. "Your time starts now!"

Inoki didn't move, didn't take a single step forward. Unlike her teammate, Inoki understood the strength of her opponent. Even a three-on-one battle would've most likely fallen in the Jonin's favor. If Inoki wanted to be even remotely victorious, she would have to fight tactically.

"Ninja Flower Style: Covered with Flowers!"

The flowers in the meadow began to lift from the ground, being spun by the wind. In mere seconds, a tornado of flowers was summoned, completely surrounding Mika in all four directions. The bright pink color made it difficult for Mika to see and she was completely helpless within the walls of the jutsu. The Jonin attempted to escape, but, when she extended her hand, she touched a single petal that was sharp enough to create a deep cut in her hand.

"Shit!" the exclaimed, drawing back. '_How does a Genin have this much power?_' Mika panicked, her eyes growing wide.

That's when she noticed it. Flying around in the pink storm of flowers was a single purple wolfsbane, a rather poisonous plant that could potentially spell her doom. By cleverly hiding it within the other flowers, Inoki coud potentially poison her opponent without them even knowing it.

'_You can't escape Sarutobi-sensei_!' Inoki's thoughts pierced through the pink jutsu.

'_You think you can trap a Jonin inside your little genjutsu?_'

'_H-How did you know it was a genjutsu?_'

'_Lucky guess?_' Mika laughed slightly, slowing down the chakra flow within her body. She took a deep breath and expelled a decent amount of chakra, steadying her body and mind with the expulsion of energy. The pink flowers fell to the floor and even the cut on her hand seemed to fade away. The only thing that remained was the single wolfsbane flower.

"How about this," Inoki frowned, pulling out four more of the same flower. She tossed them simultaneously at the Jonin. "Ninja Flower Art: Flower Bomb. The four flowers reached Mika's position poised and ready to detonate. Just as they were about to explode, Mika made the 'bird' hand seal.

"Wind Release:" the Jonin began. "Dust Cloud Technique!" Mika took a deep breath, blowing an incredibly powerful gust of wind from her mouth. The flowers were completely decimated as the dust particles within the wind tore through them and the bombs. "So, Choya is basically taijutsu. You use genjutsu and a bit of ninjutsu." As the Jonin spoke the bell rang indicating that the battle was over. "I'm guessing you focus on ninjutsu."

"Hmm," Shikawa frowned shaking his head. "I guess that now it's my turn, Sarutobi-sensei."

"I've been looking forward to it Shikawa-san," Mika smiled. "Show me what the self-appointed leader of Squad Fourteen can really do."

Shikawa shook his head and pulled out a single shuriken from his holster. The Genin tossed it forward rather easily, and it slowly flew towards his sensei. Mika was rather confused at the child's lax attitude and decided to merely catch the projectile.

"Ninja Art: Shuriken Defense!"

"What?"

Just as Mika extended her hand to catch the star-shaped projectile, it miraculously expanded, catching the Jonin rather off guard. The shuriken was no longer small and compact. It had grown to a full sized fuma-shuriken inches away from Mika's eyes. It was split decision time.

The Jonin pulled a kunai of her own from her holster and barely managed to derail the massive weapon. Mika didn't want to admit it, but Shikawa had come really close to severely injuring her. She hadn't been prepared for a clever technique like that. If it weren't for the Flying Swallow Technique Shikamaru had shown her, Mika feared she wouldn't have been able to block that attack in time. She glanced to her kunai, witnessing the bright blue wind chakra dissipate.

"Gotcha!" Shikawa smirked. "Shadow Possession Jutsu!

His shadow stretched forward at an alarming pace. Just as his technique was about to reach Mika's shadow, the Jonin jumped backwards, just out of Shikawa's reach. Overtime, and with practice, Shikawa would be able to increase the length of his shadow. For now, it could only go a few feet without outside assistance.

When Mika jumped backwards, the tree behind her exploded in a hail of fire. Shikawa had clever thrown a fire-tagged kunai while his sensei had been preoccupied with his previous technique. The resulting explosion blasted Mika forward, directly towards the young Genin's shadow.

'_What?_' Mika panicked, trying to stop her momentum.

'_You're mine Sensei!_' Shikawa smiled, his confidence soaring to new heights. He was rather pleased with himself, having almost caught a Jonin level Konoha ninja.

"Not quite!" Mika shouted. "Earth Style: Great Mud River!" The ground around Shikawa transformed into a small river of mud, causing Shikawa to lose his balance. The momentary loss of concentration dissipated the shadow, allowing Mika to land safely. "You're pretty good kid. You almost caught me twice, but now it's my turn."

Mika put her kunai away and rushed her pint-sized opponent. She had planned to deliver one decisive blow to put the child in his place. He was too confident, too arrogant. Mika feared that the only way their team could operate was if Shikawa practiced a little humility.

Shikawa was too fast for the Jonin's punch. She hadn't expected Shikawa to practice the Mach Style of Taijutsu, a fighting style that focused on speed and countering rather than power. His punch caught Mika completely off-guard, allowing Shikawa the ability to get one clear uppercut on his sensei. For a moment, he was proud.

"Ah," Mika cringed, taken back by the surprise attack. "I wasn't expecting that. You almost trapped me twice so far.

"Three times," Shikawa said matter-of-factly. The boy gave his sensei a sly smile and pointed upwards. Mika, confused, humored the child and looked directly into the air. "NOW!"

"Ino!" Inoki shouted, throwing her Chakra Rope forward. The Jonin had been staring up in the air, blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

"Shika!" Shikawa nodded, connecting his shadow to his sensei's.

"Cho!" Choya smiled, using his partial Expansion Jutsu to expand both of his hands to almost ten times their size. He latched onto Mika even though the Chakra Rope Technique and Shadow Possession Jutsu had already made it practically impossible for the Jonin to move.

"You tricked me," Mika smiled, laughing slightly to herself. In truth, she had forgotten she was in the middle of a battle. Shikamaru and Kurenia had always warned her that she was far too flighty for a ninja, but Mika figured it was one of her more endearing qualities. "And you cheated."

"When in a fight will the other team play fairly?" Shikawa smirked, releasing his hold on Mika. "Sai-sensei told us that deception is incredibly important." Choya and Inoki released their jutsu's as well.

"And the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is all about teamwork," Choya nodded, going for a high-five that Inoki refused.

"So, you're each probably wondering if you passed?" Mika smiled, turning her head slightly sideways.

"The thought had crossed my mind," Shikawa said, nodding slightly.

Mika thought long and hard.

Choya was the powerhouse, attempting to master the Arhat Fist style of taijutsu. His attacks were precise and yielded great power. His jutsu obviously were centered around the Akamichi hidden jutsu that had been passed down through generations, but he also seemed to dabble in basic Earth Jutsu.

Inoki was the mystery. She hadn't used any Yamanaka techniques like the Mind Transfer Jutsu, nor did she do a good deal of direct combat. Perhaps, like her mother, she felt it was best to offer herself in more of a supporting role. However, the short battle wasn't enough to tell either way. At least the Flower Ninja Art Jutsu was interesting, and it was rather strange that she had managed to learn the forbidden jutsu the, Chakra Rope Technique.

Shikawa was the mastermind, possibly containing an IQ as high as Shikamaru's. He preferred the shadow based techniques of the Nara clan, but also possessed a completely new jutsu centered around his projectiles. In this way, Shikawa reminded Mika of Tenten, and she was interested to see how that was going to play out. The Mach Style taijutsu also made him a deadly opponent at close range. Plus, she couldn't dare face her master after having failed his only son.

"I think the three of you… pass. Starting tomorrow we'll go get our first mission as a team. And we're going to go out for dinner to celebrate. Inoki's buying!"

"W-what? But- I um," the flustered kunoichi stammered. "I-I don't have any money."

_**Author's Notes**_

**For those who care, sorry it took so long and sorry that this chapter ****focuses on Squad Fourteen rather than Squad Twelve. I know that they appear much more static than the main characters, but I truly want to create an amazing story without marysues or one dimensional characters. And that, almost requires that I give my Oc's character development, something I cannot hope to achieve without first giving them clear personalities and, of course, screen time. I hope anyone reading this enjoyed the chapter nonetheless, and I should be back focusing on Kiyoshi, Katsu, Akira, and Shikamaru next week. 3**


	6. Chapter Six: A New Seat

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Naruto**

Chapter Six- A New Seat: The Meeting of Kage

A barren wasteland greeted anyone who wandered too far from the borders of the Sand Village. The heat during the day rendered it difficult for even veteran Jonin whom had mastered the Water-Style of Jutsu to traverse - and the freezing nights were equally unbearable. One could see an outline of trees in the distance separating the Lands of Wind and Fire from one another. However, even with the green paradise in sight, the perilous dessert took nearly a day to traverse on foot.

Just hours after Squad Twelve had narrowly escaped Hinoto's clutches for a second time, a lone man departed from Sunagakure. Dressed in a dark, one-piece shinobi outfit, outfitted with various metal paraphernalia, such as a breastplate, gauntlets with a retractable shield, and shin guards- he made his way through the sea of sand. Normally, such garb would make the hot dessert sun even more unbearable, but, as of late, puppet-masters had begun to dawn such extra armor for protection. For too long, the puppeteers of Suna had considered close-range combat to be their Achille's Heel. It was Kankuro whom had only recently made use of armor and shields a much more common practice for the puppet users to try and diminish his arts obvious flaws and weaknesses.

"Sorry it took so long," said the man. There was no one around, and for a moment it appeared as if he had been talking to only the air. Moments later, the sand swirled in a circle, blinding the ninja for just a mere moment. Before his eyesight had returned, Hinoto appeared, standing just a few meters away. "Your little fiasco put the entire village on high alert."

"It's quite alright," Hinoto responded, shrugging his shoulders rather calmly. "How's the child recovering?"

"She and her team are fine," the ninja responded. "They're recovering in the hospital now. Only a few minor scrapes and bruises. Nothing serious of course."

Hinoto had obviously already known this information. He had been the one to put them "in danger" in the first place. However, the ninja just shook his head, allowing his comrade to speak.

"It was necessary. When the child didn't activate the Sharingan after our first encounter-"

"I know," the ninja replied before giving Hinoto the chance to finish. "No one is blaming you either way, but I recommend you lay low for a while. They'll be heading back to the Leaf soon. I want you to follow close behind."

"I would," Hinoto said, shrugging once more. "But Taiki, the boss has other plans for now. And he wants me to let you know that the war is escalating far too quickly. It is inevitable, but we have to delay it for a while, even if it's just a few more years."

"That snake changes his plans every few hours," Taiki shook his head, turning away from Hinoto as though he was about to return home. "How'd they hold up anyway?"

"Well the Uchiha held her own rather well," Hinoto said truthfully. "She'll be ready in due time."

"And the other two?"

"The one's got spunk," Hinoto thought, bringing to mind memories of Kiyoshi. "But he's no problem." In both confrontations, the child had been defeated rather quickly. Easily susceptible to genjutsu and a poor planner, Kiyoshi was clearly the "runt" of the group. "And the Uzumaki may prove valuable as well. He's probably stronger than the other two combined. Is the boss sure he doesn't want him instead?"

"You know it has to be the Uchiha girl," Taiki countered. "Anyway, tell him Gaara's called a meeting of the Kage. If nothing else, that should slow down the pace of conflict for a few months. I didn't think blaming your outbreak on the Tsuchikage would escalate things so quickly."

"That's why you don't do things before we all discuss it first," Hinoto scolded. "You're lucky he didn't have your head for that." Taiki opened his mouth to argue, but instead held his hand up in protest. "You better get back before you're missed. I'm sure Gaara will want to speak with his 'trusted advisors.'"

* * *

Many of the buildings in Sunagakure were constructed out of sand, making them easily destructible, but many more held a certain level structural integrity. Suna itself was regarded as the "weakest" of the Hidden Villages. The Hidden Sand Village was pitied for its poor living conditions, slipshod economy and relatively poor military. In truth, Suna had a relatively broad culture, and were very well known for their variety of clothing and ingenuity in the shinobi field.

Sonzai made it her personal goal to amend their previous encounter with Hinoto by showing them the highlights of Suna - culminating in dinner.

"So how are you liking everything?" Sonzai asked, tilting her head slightly sideways.

Unlike other villages, Suna, because of its constant weather fluctuations, had mostly indoor dining to protect from the harsh desert.

"The armory was pretty cool," Akira shrugged, slurping some of his ramen.

Kiyoshi was severely disappointed. Onigiri was not a common dish served in the Village. There were a few restaurants that had the item on their menu, but Sonzai said that it was "nothing special." The young man was forced to broaden his horizons and order another dish. He ordered something known as Tendon- Tempura Shrimp and vegetables on rice. He was skeptical of the taste and hadn't yet taken a bite.

'_We're in the desert - where did they get the shrimp,'_ he wondered to himself.

"Yeah, I've never seen so many different kinds of kunai," Katsu agreed, eating one of her steamed dumplings.

In truth, Katsu didn't care about the kunai, or any of the distinct armaments within shop. Her mind had been wandering the last few hours, had her father done all the things Sonzai had actually said? All the pieces seemed to fit, but Katsu had trouble condemning her father on the word of a twelve year old. She figured there was only one person she could ask for the truth, but she would have to wait until she returned back to the Leaf Village. Perhaps he could also help her with her newly formed Sharigan.

"You're father really has his work cut out for him," Akira said, putting down his food.

"How so?" Sonzai replied.

"I heard him talking with Shikamaru-sensei about the conflict. He thinks Orochimaru is involved somehow."

"My father is an idiot. If the Tsuchikage is after the Jinchuriki and Katsu-san for Orochimaru then we must strike soon."

"And what if he's wrong? What if he attacks legions of innocent civilians on a hunch?"

"Necessary sacrifices," she responded, her voice cold and unwavering.

'_Would it really come to a war,'_ Kiyoshi thought. War, in it's most basic form, was nothing more than petty feuds between Lords. War was sending countless soldiers to die for a cause that they may not believe in or really even understand. Death and destruction are the only things that can become of war- something that Kiyoshi could never allow, even for the most just of reasons.

"I've been meaning to ask," Katsu said. "What is a Jinchuriki? Hinoto… he said he wanted me AND the Jinchuriki."

"Well, I'm a Jinchuriki, the Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Beast Shukaku. A Jinchuriki is literally just a person with a Tailed-Beast Sealed away within them," Sonzai said matter-of-factly. "Each of the main hidden villages is in possession of a single Jinchuriki with a few being scattered in random locations around the Shinobi Nations."

"Oh, I've never heard of a Jinchuriki in the Hidden Leaf Village," Katsu said, looking towards her teammates. Kiyoshi shrugged his shoulders to show he too was slightly confused, but Akira simply turned away.

"Perhaps out of respect for the previous Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki," the boy responded, standing from his chair. "Come, I'm sure Shikamaru-sensei would like to return home soon. I'm sure Gaara-sama already left for his meeting with the other Kage as well."

* * *

The Kage Summit was never held in the same location twice. Some misunderstood the term, believing the Summit was a single location for meetings between the Kage- a large complex with a pyramid in the center somewhere in the neutral Land of Iron. However, this was not the case. Meetings could be held in any location, typically in one desired by whoever called the meeting. Only the Kage themselves and a few high-ranking individuals were privy to such sensitive information. Most Jonin and the ANBU weren't even informed.

After the Shinobi Alliance was formed during the Fourth Shinobi World War, meetings were held much more frequently. The Kage now more commonly acted as one solid unit, fostering unity between the nations. However, everyone was certain that this peace would fall soon enough - a truce between all nations had never lasted this long. Since many of the older Kage have long since been replaced, the ties and connections formed during the defeat of the Akatsuki and Obito have been slightly skewed and forgotten.

"Glad you could come," Gaara bowed to Kakashi, motioning for the Hokage to take a seat. The room was dimly lit, but set up exactly as the old Kage Summit meeting had been. A large horseshoe shaped table with ten chairs, one for each Kage and their respective confidants, as well as a small podium in the center of the table for someone to speak.

Kakashi had arrived just a few moments late, as was expected of him. At his side was his right hand man, Guy, an individual he regarded as his eternal rival and most trusted friend. Kakashi felt that the two men were partners, equal on most fronts. Some critics of Kakashi had quoted that he was a Co-Kage, taking his confidants advice too often. Neither Kakashi or Guy were particularly gifted in foreign affairs. So, the Rokudaime felt that his judgment on certain matters was insufficient on his own. He felt that, if Guy agreed with his decisions, then he may not have been making the "smart" choice, but at least he was making the "right" one.

Kakashi also brought a few other men with him. Among them, the shinobi known only as Yamato stood by the Hokage's side. As with Guy, Yamato had been comrades with Kakashi for quite a while. For this reason, Kakashi trusted in Yamato's judgment and wisdom as he possessed slightly more talent and couth when confronting differing nations. The other two men, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki had been Chunin during the time they had known Naruto Uzumaki. However, in most recent years, their promotion to Jonin, and the lack of leaders for the Konoha High-Council, Kotetsu and Izumo filled their place. Along with these men, Genma Shiranui was supposed to come with the team to "protect" the Sixth Hokage as was his job. However, Kakashi assured the Fire Daimyo that the extra guard would not be necessary, and Genma was allowed to continue preperations for the Chunin Exams. Kakashi did a quick role call in the back of his mind to see that everyone was accounted for.

Of course, Gaara was in attendance with his confidant and brother, Kankuro. Along with them was Taiki, the head of the Sunagakure Council. Suna had functioned as more of a Democratic Nation in recent years, with the Kazekage as a "figure head" to formally announce decisions. In truth, the Suna Council formed all decisions in tandem with Gaara as one governmental body. It was only natural that the Council would want their "best" man sitting in at the meeting to listen in on what rules and regulations were being made. Another Shinobi, dressed in black attire stood by Kankuro. It was clear that he wasn't a Sunagakure ninja.

Also in attendance was the newly appointed Raikage, Darui. A had decided only a few months ago to leave his position as Kage to Kumogakure. So, his right-hand, Darui was chosen by the Kumo Council to replace him. Alongside him were C, Darui's confidant, as well as his bodyguard Omoi. Darui, being about as green as possible, was instructed by former Raikage A, to follow Kakashi's lead on decisions. Whatever Kakashi had agreed upon was most likely the best course of action for the future of all the Shinobi Nations.

Of course, Mei Terume had been there as well, but had no interest in a feud between the Sand and Rock Villages. For her, the meeting was nothing more than an inconvenient annoyance. Along with her were Suigetsu Hozuki and Chojuro, two full fledged members of Kirgakure's Seven Swordmen of the Mist. Together with the other members of the Swordsmen, they constituted most of the Kirigakure Council.

That left only the missing Tsuchikage and his two attendees. Kakashi had hoped he would turn up soon, the meeting would be all but useless without him in attendance.

"He's probably frightened," Guy laughed, sensing Kakashi's tension. "The mark of a true coward."

"I can assure you that you're completely wrong in your assumption," said the new Tsuchikage, fully dressed in the same robes Onoki had once worn, albeit, slightly longer to fit the taller man. He had short, brown hair that frayed upwards. He was about Gaara's size, making him smaller than both Kakashi and Darui, but as the previous Tsuchikage had proven, size has nothing to do with power.

A single advisor accompanied the Tsuchikage. He too was shorter in comparison to many of the men in the room, but he had been a few inches taller than both the Kazekage and the Tsuchikage. His hair was long and blonde, tied in a ponytail and fell to his mid back. The rest of his body was covered in a black cloak draped over his shoulders.

"Kana," Gaara said, looking to the Tsuchikage. "Please…sit."

"I had every intention to, Lord Kazekage," the man smiled, bowing his head slightly to seemingly show respect. It was clear to Kakashi that this action was merely intended to mock Gaara's position.

"Can we begin?" Mei said, obviously annoyed at the ordeal.

"Not quite," said Kana, taking his seat next to Darui. "Rules state that each Kage is allowed to bring one confidant and one bodyguard to these meetings. Why is the honorable Lord Hokage admitted with four?"

"That is true Kakashi," Darui finally spoke up, looking at the older man. "With all do respect you are bending the rules."

"Well that's simple," Kakashi shrugged, smiling at his equals. "I only have one confidant with me. As for bodyguards, I have none, only advisors sent by the Fire Daimyo."

"I don't believe you," Kana said, laughing to himself slightly. "What world leader would travel this far from home without a little protection."

"That is true Kakashi," Gaara finally piped. As much as he detested the Tsuchikage, Gaara couldn't help but feel concerned for Kakashi's safety.

"Well to be honest," Guy interjected. "Kakashi and I have no use for 'protection.'"

"Between the two of us, Guy and I could take out everyone in this room." Kakashi said calmly, giving his signature "nice-guy" pose.

No one said a word in protest for fear of any sort of altercation. What Kakashi had said was true. The Hokage and his confidant, more commonly known as the Eternal Duo, were feared in all of the Shinobi Countries. Guy, with his intense speed and strength, coupled with Kakashi's intelligence and mastery over all things Ninjutsu made them a deadly duo that no one ever crossed.

"I'll go outside ma'am," Suigetsu nodded. The wielder of the Kubikiribōchō had been on thin ice since he returned to the Hidden Mist Village. Even now, almost twenty years since his return, Suigetsu had to be wary of the Mizukage's wrath. Omoi, Taiki, Kotetsu, Izumo, and Yamato followed suit, leaving each Kage and their confidant to talk amongst themselves.

Kakashi did have one more question though, one final thing on his mind.

"Who is your extra guest?" the Hokage asked, looking towards the man Kakashi had noticed before.

Now that the room had cleared slight, Kakashi could get a better look at the young man's face. He was slim, almost frail in appearance. His hair was jet black, but kept rather short. His eyes were light blue in color, odd for someone with hair so dark. He wore a black outfit, topped with a fishnet shirt.

"Your very handsome guest." Mei agreed, leaning forward in her chair to make herself seem slightly more promiscuous.

"This is the aspiring Otokage," Gaara said plainly, aware that he would receive a few worried glances.

Gaara was taking a bold step, one that no other Kage had ever before, and only doing so because of selfish reasons. With both Konoha and the Hidden Cloud Village remaining neutral in the conflict, Gaara had lost two of his strongest allies. Now, it seemed he was simply scraping the bottle of the barrel for help against the Iwa threat.

"Hello," the man bowed, stepping to the podium. "My name is Shion Oshinawa, and I am the acting leader of Otogakure."

"Gaara," Kakashi said, looking over to the younger Kazekage disapprovingly.

"The Sound Village has made astounding improvements to their nation, even creating one comprehensive 'Hidden Sound Village' assimilating much of the surrounding barren wastelands into their control. The Rain Village, the Grass Village, and the Waterfall Village are all now part of the Land of Sound," Gaara said, explaining his intentions. Although they weren't as pure as he was trying to make them sound, his statement wasn't entirely false.

With a population only slightly larger than Suna and an economy greater than Konoha due to it's favorable position next to the sea, Otogakure was thriving quite nicely in comparison to the Hidden Rock Village. Even Suna, who had since rebounded from their food shortage, was faring worse than that of the Sound Village. Their only downside was their military. With Orochimaru "gone" from the land, most of his forces left with the Sannin. Now, Otogakure was left building a Shinobi force all their own, a task handed to Shion Oshinawa.

"So you're asking us to vote," Darui said, phrasing his words as more of a statement and less than that of a question. "Do we or do we not accept a sixth Kage to our midst?"

"Yes," Gaara said plainly. "With our combined resources, I feel that we could ad a powerful ally to the Shinobi Alliance."

'_Or a powerful ally to join your side of the fight,'_ Kakashi pondered, taking a deep breath. As much as he revered Gaara, Kakashi was a little disappointed with his underhanded tactics. Even so, Kakashi could understand where the young man was coming from. He had a village to defend and people to protect. He had to do whatever he could.

"Then let me be the first to vote," the Tsuchikage said, standing to his full height. "Nori and I agree to the admission of the Otokage."

Gaara was taken back by the compliance of Kana. The Kazekage figured that if anyone would have protested, it would have been him.

It was clear that Gaara was reaching for an ally to assist him in case of war- a war that would be held against the Tsuchikage. Originally, Gaara had thought that Orochimaru was now pulling the strings in Iwa, so it would make sense that Kana would vote for an Otokage, a position that could be filled by Legendary Sannin himself. Despite these fears, Gaara had to be rock steady on his decisions. The Kazekage truly believed that the Otogakure had changed their ways and Orochimaru no longer held any ties to the land or any of the villages within.

"I also agree," Gaara nodded.

"Hmmm," Mei said, biting the tip of her pointer finger. "My vote has to go with the cute mysterious man."

"So, that's it?" Kana shrugged. "Three against two."

"Not quite," Nori, the Tsuchikage's confidant, interjected. "As much as it pains me to say this, small feuds are to be settled with a majority vote, that much is certain-"

"But landmark decisions have to be unanimous," Kakashi said, pointing to both himself and Darui. "Something of this magnitude can't be resolved by a simple majority."

"So we are at a standstill,"Taiki frowned, looking towards his superior.

"What can I do to convince you?" Shion gasped out, finally unable to keep himself quite any longer. "How can I prove our worth?"

"It's nothing you can prove," Kakashi responded. "Trust is gained over time."

"Is twenty years not ample time? Have we not given everything in the rebuilding after the Fourth Shinobi World War?"

Kakashi shook his head. Even if he was willing to accept the Sound's new disposition, many villagers would scream out in protest. The Sound had been the cause of the Third Hokage's death. So many people had loved Hiruzen, many people that were still alive today.

'_Perhaps when the new generation takes charge, the hatred of the past can finally be washed away_,' Kakashi hoped.

"There are so many unanswered questioned," Kakashi said, trying to keep himself level headed. "For instance, what has become of Orochimaru?"

"He's dead," Shion answered, his voice unwavering and cold.

"No, he's not," Kakashi responded. "I've seen him come from the brink of death too many times. Sasuke revived him during the past war. He must still be alive."

"Then tell me where I can find him," Shion said, looking down to the ground. His fists quivered and his entire body shook with a sense of rage that seemed to delve into his very core. "He has hurt so many people, so many innocent lives. If I knew where he was," he looked up so that Kakashi could see directly into his icy blue stare. "I'd smite him myself!"

"I vote we add the Otokage to our midst," the Hokage shrugged.

Any man with that sort of conviction and passion couldn't be lying. If Orochimaru was still alive, it was clear that he had no ties to Shion or Otogakure. The bigots of the Hidden Leaf would just have to bite their tongues and accept Kakashi's decision. After all, he was their leader.

"I'm with you one hundred percent, Kakashi," Guy winked, giving his friend a thumbs up.

"As am I," Darui nodded, raising his hand in agreement.

Shion fell backwards slightly, almost completely losing his balance. He hadn't actually believed the Kage would accept him so willingly. After all of his hard work, he would finally be accepted as the first official Otokage. His people would no longer be regarded as savages or slaves to Orochimaru, but genuine and prosperous. He had accomplished his mission.

"Here," Kankuro said, standing. He moved slightly so that the new Kage could take a seat with his equals.

"Thank you, Lord Kankuro," Shion bowed, taking his rightful seat next to Gaara. "Now, we continue by asking why you attacked the Sand Village?"

"What, me?" the Tsuchikage said, taken back. "I've heard your allegations and I must say they're completely false. I have in no way ordered any attacks on your village as of yet."

"As of yet?" Gaara said, standing in his seat.

'_This is going to be one long meeting,'_ Kakashi sighed, taking a deep breath to clear his thoughts.


	7. Chapter Seven: The First Gate

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Seven- Kiyoshi's Training: The Leaf's Noble Green Beast

Shikamaru would never get used to being called into the Hokage's office. Too often as a child he would get roped into one of Kiba's or Naruto's shenanigans and was called in to speak with Hiruzen.

Back in the good old days, before any of them were Genin or had any worries, Shikamaru was always getting in trouble. He normally thought about his past as troublesome and bothersome, but he wished he could go back just for one day.

"Greetings Lord Hokage," Shikamaru bowed. He also would never get used to calling Kakashi the Hokage. To his right, Mika Sarutobi, his son's sensei and his protégé, stood directly at his side.

"Evening Master," Mika nodded her head. "I trust your previous mission was a success."

"Shikamaru has already briefed me on the details of his previous mission," Kakashi said, picking up a small pink book. He used to love Jiraiya's novels, and couldn't help, but wish there were more so that he wasn't forced to reread old writings. "But that's not exactly why we're here."

"In light of recent events, the Chunin Exams are to be held in Konoha this year," Guy said, raising a single finger.

"What?!" Shikamaru panicked, raising his voice a little. "Oh, I'm sorry Kakashi-sama." As a Chunin Exams proctor, Shikamaru would have to spend the next few months preparing for the exams with his wife, Tenten, and Genma, a task Shikamaru wasn't looking forward to. Kakashi understood the man's distaste for the news and didn't hold him accountable for his uncharacteristic outburst.

"Well, what does that have to do with me?" Mika questioned, raising both of her arms in slight confusion. "Don't tell me that I'm going to be a proctor now?"

'_Mika!_' Shikamaru thought, shooting her a look_. 'Show him more respect.'_

'_Sorry Master, sometimes I forget who I'm speaking to._'

"Nothing like that, quite the opposite," Kakashi said, folding his hands. "How have the teams been fairing?"

"Squad Fourteen is pretty amazing," Mika smiled, giving the Kage a quick thumbs up.

"Good, good. And Squad Twelve?" Kakashi inquired.

"...Honorable Sixth Hokage-" Shikamaru began, but he was cut short.

"While in my room, Kakashi will do just fine," he replied.

"Fine, Kakashi. You're not implying what I think your implying? Are you?"

"I am," the Rokudaime nodded. "In one month, both squads will be entered in the Chunin Exams, and this time, we have to win."

"That's amazing!" Mika smiled.

"That's completely unfair!" Shikamaru retorted, clasping a hand over Mika's mouth.

"If the Tsuchikage sends a Genin team to Konoha and wipes the floor with us," Guy added.

"He might take that as a sign of weakness."

"If one of our Genin win the tournament, we will assert our dominance and, perhaps, force Iwagakure to back off," Kakashi continued. "That's why I need to send our best teams forward."

* * *

"Why are we here," Kiyoshi asked, raising an eyebrow. He was glad that he wasn't cursed with Rock Lee's giant caterpillar brows.

The bathhouse was a place frequented by many on daily occasions, but not today. Shikamaru had somehow rented out the entire male side, for their training session.

"Today," Shikamaru began, placing his foot over the edge of the pool of water. Almost as if it were nothing, Shikamaru stood on the water's surface, staring back at his team. "I'm going to teach you about advanced chakra control."

"H-How are you doing that?" Kiyoshi panicked in disbelief. Katsu and Akira too stared on in complete awe. They had never witnessed another individual who could walk on the water's surface.

"The secret is chakra control," Shikamaru said, raising a finger. "By emanating chakra from one's feet, a shinobi can use the repellent forces to literally walk upon water. Do you remember the Leaf Concentration game you use to play in the academy; where you would use your chakra to keep the leaf stuck to your forehead?"

"Yeah," Katsu said, hanging her head. She remembered how Inoki won every time they played. Katsu would normally place second, but chakra control seemed to come so naturally to the Yamanaka. At times it almost seemed unfair in comparison. "Yeah, I remember."

"It's essentially the same thing…only much more difficult. With the little time we have I figured we should skip the basics and move onto the hard stuff. You three were complaining you wanted a challenge." Shikamaru said, shifting into a more comfortable stance.

"Alright!" Kiyoshi nodded. He extended a single foot forward, letting it hover just slightly above the water's surface. He was incredibly nervous, but also terribly thrilled with the chance to prove himself. So far, he had been nothing but a nuisance, only getting in the way. Once, just once, he wanted to shine in front of Shikamaru.

'_GO!' _his mind raced.

"Wait Naru-Kiyoshi!" Shikamaru said, putting out his hand for the child to grab onto.

"Huh, why?"

Kiyoshi pushed his weight forward, offsetting his balance. Instead of using his chakra to keep his weight up, Kiyoshi plummeted into the water below. That would've been no problem, except for one thing- one tiny, minute detail that Shikamaru had intentionally forgotten to mention.

'_HOT!'_

Panicked by the scalding water, Kiyoshi flailed about helplessly until he managed to grab on to the retaining wall. He pulled himself up, and found the strength to roll over on his back. The child breathed heavily, attempting to drive away the momentary shock.

"Your body isn't used to the hot bath water," Shikamaru shrugged. "Every failure will be punished with warm water."

"You call that warm?" Kiyoshi panted, his skin had turned a blotchy red from the minor burn.

"You look like a lobster," Akira laughed slightly himself. "You're such an idiot."

"Then it's your turn!" Kiyoshi gave Akira a slight shove, causing him to trip forward. Head first, Akira went plummeting into the bath water below. He never even stood a chance. Like Kiyoshi before him, the child panicked, and ended up flat on his back.

"Haha," Katsu smiled. "Good job dobe."

"TEME!" Akira yelled back, jumping to his feet, his fists clenched at his sides.

'_Normally soo calm and collected,'_ Shikamaru smiled. _'Only she can get under his skin…'_

This is how the children spent the afternoon. Attempt after attempt; failure after failure. Eventually the pain from the simmering water subsided when their own desires to succeed had finally burned into the back of their skulls. Hours past, and eventually the burning sun began to set, giving way to the dark night sky.

"Shikamaru-sensei," Akira shook his head. "I'm just… just not getting it."

Shikamaru shook his head and looked away from his team. He didn't think they were ready to participate in the Chunin Exams. They were still far too young, far too green to face the dangers that awaited them within the Forest of Death, let alone the dangers they would face from the other Genin in the Tournament.

"It's unfair of me to ask you to do this after only one training session," Shikamaru said honestly, his voice low and almost inaudible. "But it's more unfair of Kakashi to have put you in the Chunin Exams."

"W-we're in the Exams?" Kiyoshi asked, his ears perking up slightly.

If that was the case, then the team was only going to have one month to prepare. Chunin Exams were held biannually, and the second one of that particular year was just a little under five weeks away. At least to the children, it now made sense why Shikamaru was pushing them so roughly.

"That's amazing!" Katsu smiled, "high fiving" Kiyoshi. "Don't most teams have to wait a full year before participating? We've been shinobi for what… four weeks? Five?"

Shikamaru just shook his head, the Genin just didn't understand. The Chunin Exams wasn't just some written test where you get a "pass" or "fail." Genin die every year simply because of overzealous sensei that believes their "ragtag" groups are qualified ninja.

"Tomorrow we'll do something different, something easier to master chakra control. I know you're all talented, but perhaps I was asking too much of you," Shikamaru sighed. "Meet me at the third training ground. With all this training, tree climbing should be simple."

"He's…an…ass," Katsu said, breathing heavily between her words.

"Agreed," Akira said, his breathing just as staggered as his comrades. "But I feel the training working. Kiyoshi, you can feel it too right?"

"Yeah, I feel like if I just keep going at it a little longer…"

"We'll get it," Akira nodded. "Come on!"

The Genin never left. They spent their time at the bathhouse deep into the night, attempting again and again to keep their balance. Each failure brought along new conviction and desires to achieve. Neither of them wanted to go home, but it became clear they weren't ready to master such a complex skill.

"Dammit!" Kiyoshi screamed, laying out on the concrete.

"We have to keep trying, for Shikamaru-sensei," Katsu frowned.

"Just…one…more…time!" Akira nodded, taking a deep breath, stepping out onto the water's surface.

* * *

"Shikamaru-senseiiiiii," Kiyoshi said, his words dragging because of his lack of sleep. "It's way too early for this." He let out a deep yawn and almost fell back. He steadied himself, making sure not to fall and look like an idiot.

"Can we sleep a little more?" Katsu suggested. "Or at least get some breakfast?"

Shikamaru shook his head and pointed the Genin towards three large trees that stood side-by-side.

"The same principles apply to tree climbing, but it's much easier as you don't need to concern yourself with the fluctuations of waves. Just make your way up, and keep track of where you reach by making a mark with your kunai. First one to thirty feet gets breakfast," the Sensei shrugged.

"Why do adults always hold food over our heads," Kiyoshi frowned, looking to Akira and Katsu. The child took a deep breath and walked over to the base of his tree. Just as he was about to try and run up the side, he stopped himself. He remembered being the first to try and walk on water the day before, as well as the failure and humiliation that followed. This time, he was going to let Akira or Katsu look like the idiot.

Akira just shrugged at his teammates, and took a deep breath, focusing a vast amount of chakra into his feet. He placed one foot on the trunk, using his other foot to propel himself upwards so that he could start his ascent. Everything seemed to go smoothly, for about a second, before he landed flat on his back.

"Ha, you-" Katsu began.

"Stop calling me a dobe!" Akira yelled, jumping to his feet. His eyes were full of fire as his anger had reached an all time high. The two Genin pressed their faces against one another, trying to see which would be the first to back down.

"D.O.B.E!" Katsu said slowly and deliberately, fully aware that each letter she spoke got under the Uzumaki's skin. Akira pulled his arm back, attempting to retaliate, but Kiyoshi held him back, desperately trying to calm the boy down.

"You need to keep your momentum going," Shikamaru began when the tensions finally died out. "It's easier to run up the side than to walk."

Kiyoshi gripped his kunai and rushed forward, closing his eyes rather tightly. As he felt his forward momentum begin to slip, he opened his eyes and slashed the tree with the weapon in his hand, doing a backflip to land on his feet.

"You went a little over ten feet on your first try," Shikamaru said, nodding his head in approval. "You really are Sakura's son."

"I think we can do this guys," Kiyoshi nodded.

"Right," Katsu agreed. "If Kiyoshi's can do this, then so can I.

Last time, Kiyoshi realized he wasn't using nearly enough chakra so he made sure to divert more of it to his feet. He didn't hit thirty feet at his second attempt, but he did almost double his distance, traveling about twenty or so feet. Katsu had reached almost the same height on her first attempt, but Akira fell short, only climbing ten feet or so.

Kiyoshi kicked of the tree, doing another flip to land on his feet. The hard landing jostled his bad arm, sending a sharp pain through most of his body.

"Shit, not again!" he exclaimed, falling to one knee while he held his shoulder in place.

"You idiot," Katsu panicked, running to his side. "You need to wait for your stiches to heal.

"She's right," Shikamaru nodded. "Falling into water was one thing, but until those stiches are fully healed… "

"No chance," Kiyoshi laughed weakly. He stood to his feet, trying his best to ignore the obvious pain.

Despite his various complaints, Shikamaru wouldn't be convinced. If the stitches didn't heal in a months time, he wouldn't be fit to participate in the Exams. If that was the case, he would become an easy target for skilled Genin and it would only be a matter of time before he was killed. Despite his rapid recovery, the team agreed it was best that Kiyoshi worked on something less strenuous while his arm fully healed.

Sunagakure didn't quite have the medical expertise that the Leaf possessed. If he had been in Konoha when he had been injured, Sakura could've easily taken care of his wounds in mere moments. However, since it was Sand Village doctors preforming the procedure, stitches were the only available option. It was too late now for his mother's medical abilities to be utilized.

* * *

"Morning Lee!" a voice awoke Kiyoshi with a shock that forced him out of his bed and onto the floor besides him. He had been having such a relaxing sleep; none of the nightmares had come around since the last incident in the Sand Village.

"What the… oh, Guy-sensei!"

Watching over Kiyoshi's bed was the one and only Guy-sensei, dressed in dark green spandex and his even darker green Jonin flack jacket. Standing at about six feet tall with a beautiful black bowl haircut, his most prominent features were his big bushy eyebrows, a trait that Guy shared with his father. It was almost eerie to see how similar they looked.

"It's time to get your training started so we can venture down the path of youth!" Guy shouted.

Kiyoshi's eyes lit up, brighter and more beautiful than ever before. His entire life had led up to that particular moment. He had thought his existence had climaxed when he first received his headband, but it was clear now that notion was not true. He was now going to be trained by Guy-sensei; his life truly began at that moment.

"G-Guy-sensei?" Kiyoshi stammered, jumping to his feet. "GUY-SENSEI!"

Kiyoshi didn't wait for any more cues from his hero. Instead the boy rushed to his prepare, grabbing shuriken, kunai, and anything else he thought he might need. If all went well, Guy would teach him to the necessary skills to become a Chunin and surpass his teammates. While they were learning to climb trees and walk on water, Kiyoshi would be learning Secret Leaf Taijutsu Techniques.

"That's right, Lee!" he said, giving the child an over exaggerated thumbs up.

Sakura, hearing the commotion, rushed to Kiyoshi's room to discover the source of the loud crash she had heard. Her first thought was that Kiyoshi was hurt, but when she saw Guy sitting in her son's room she was immediately confused.

"G-Gu- how did you get in here?" she panicked, wondering how the older man had ended up in her son's room.

"Why the window my dear," he said, as though it was obvious.

"Get. Out. Of. My. House!" Sakura yelled, the ends of her hair sticking up out of her sheer anger. Guy was always welcomed in their home, if he used the front door. Sakura felt violated whenever the shinobi would sneak inside to talk to her husband.

Guy panicked at the sight of the furious kunoichi. He grabbed Kiyoshi by the back of his shirt collar, and leapt out the window, leaving Sakura dumbfounded and slightly aggravated at his "breaking and entering" style. "Fucking idiot." She muttered as she left.

"Within the next few hours," Guy began. "I am going to teach you my best technique, one that will make your teammates green with envy!"

"Y-your best technique Guy-sensei!?" Kiyoshi said in awe, his eyes opened wise in amazement.

They had taken to the Third Training Ground, the most commonly used exercise area in all of Konoha. Rock Lee had begun most of his training with Guy at that very training ground. Even Sakura had frequented it as a young child when she had been on a Squad Seven. The area was rather small, three posts stood to practice target training or taijutsu. To the right was a dense forest for concealment training and directly in front of the duo was a large lake. Kiyoshi had hoped Guy wasn't going to try to teach him how to walk on water.

'_Not again. Please not again.' He thought._

"Do you understand the principles of chakra?" Guy asked, taking a seat on one of the wooden posts. He motioned for Kiyoshi to do the same.

"Well of course," Kiyoshi smiled. "It's the physical energy that is present within everyone, as well as the spiritual energy we build up through training and experience."

"Well said Lee!" Guy nodded, giving another thumbs up. "Now do you understand how we transport chakra to say our hands to increase our strength like your mother or to our feet to walk on water?"

"Honestly, no Guy-sensei," Kiyoshi shrugged. "It always just sort off…happens."

"Well that's where you're wrong." He said, in a quieter voice. "See the body has certain pathways for chakra to travel. Kakashi calls it the Chakra Pathway System, but I refer to it as the CYCLE OF YOUTH!"

"The Cycle of Youth?"

"Exactly," Guy nodded, jumping to his feet. "As a human, we cannot determine how fast we can move our chakra throughout our body. Like blood, it flows subconsciously, going to where it is needed the most. Of course you can trap chakra in specific parts of the body, but you can't really increase the flow of chakra, unless…"

"Unless?" Kiyoshi's eyes shimmered as he watched his idol speak. Everything Guy said was like an act of God, every moment he made was a work of art. Kiyoshi was so entrance and he couldn't wait to hear him continue.

"You open one of the Eight Chakra Gates, allowing the chakra to rush to other parts of your body. By doing so you can increase your chakra output and therefore increase your strength by five times. As you know, a normal human being can only use 20% of their full strength at any given time, but after the first gate is opened, the brain bypasses that limit, allowing you to utilize a full 100% of your strength! It's believed that once an individual opens all Eight Gates, his power will soar to that of even Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage."

"Wh-what? Guy-sensei, really?" Kiyoshi said, jumping to his feet as well. "I'll be stronger than Katsu and Akira in no time and then I'll-"

"But be warned," Guy said, kneeling down so that he could see eye-to-eye with Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi could pick up the change in tone of Guy's voice, feeling the full gravity of the information Guy was about to tell him. "The technique puts an extreme amount of pressure on the body, and it's difficult to keep even the first gate open for an extended period of time. You have to promise me you will only use this technique if someone you love is in danger, and that you will never seek to open the Eight Gate."

"But…why Guy-sensei?" Kiyoshi asked, confused.

"Opening the Eight Gate grants the user immeasurable power, but whosoever does…will die." Kiyoshi could see the serious look in Guy's eyes. For a man whom was normally giddy as a newborn, seeing Guy so stern was rather offsetting.

"G-Guy-sensei," Kiyoshi said, looking away. He wasn't sure if he was ready for such a huge responsibility- to be given a power that could have the potential to dictate life and death for someone in danger to his own detriment. Would he be able to choose someone else's life over his own? He wanted to say yes like he knew Rock Lee or Guy would, but he wasn't sure.

'_I guess I won't know until I try.'_

"Are you ready Lee?" Guy asked, giving the boy his signature 'nice guy pose'.

"Yes Guy-sensei!" Kiyoshi said, returning a 'nice guy pose' of his own.

Guy placed both hands on the ground, forcing chakra out of his body onto the grassy field. Black lines appeared from nowhere, circling Guy's fingers and eventually branching outwards in all directions. With a puff of smoke, a large scroll appeared; one almost on par in size as the Scroll of Seals.

"This is the Scroll of the Kame," Guy said, rolling it the large piece of parchment out on the ground. There were signatures written in blood, all down the side of the scroll- names that Kiyoshi couldn't recognize. The only name that the boy was familiar with was that of Might Guy.

Kiyoshi glanced at the parchment and read out the first sentence. "Ninja whom wish to fight along side the ancient turtle clan must first sign this contract? Ninja turtles…And is this blood? I thought we-"

"By signing your name in blood, and utilizing a small amount of chakra, you can summon different turtles from the Ningame Clan. The amount of chakra utilized directly effects which turtle you summon; the largest and most powerful being Ningame himself," Guy winked, putting his hand directly on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

There was a large puff of smoke and, within an instant, Guy was sitting on a rather large and rather old red turtle with strange yellow markings strewn about. He had a Konoha forehead protector tied around his neck, something Kiyoshi found to be rather odd.

"Guy, it's been a while," the turtle spoke calmly.

"Holy shit, turtle can't talk," Kiyoshi freaked, taking a large step back.

"Respect your elders," the turtle barked back.

"Lee," Guy continued. "The turtles of the Ningame Clan have shells with special properties. By touching the shell, one can heighten their spiritual enlightenment for an extended period of time. I would be honored if you would sign the scroll use this jutsu.

That's all Kiyoshi had to hear. Guy was "_honored"_ to have Kiyoshi sign, a notion that thrilled the boy to no end. He pulled a kunai from his pocket, making a small indentation in his pointer finger, allowing red liquid to secrete from his fingertips. Besides, if Guy had wanted him to do something, Kiyoshi wouldn't let the Jonin down.

'_K-I-Y-O-S-H-I L-E-E._'

As if it had a mind of its own, the scroll fluttered into the air and disappeared just as quickly as it had come. The sight of blood made the child's stomach curl, but he couldn't let that stop him.

"Opening the Eight Chakra Gates takes years of physical training and exercise, but the first is opened through simple meditation and insight. Go on, give it a try!"

Kiyoshi took a deep breath and placed his hand firmly on the ground. He exclaimed the words "summoning jutsu" just as guy had done before. A cloud of white smoke surrounded the young boy. He felt something appear beneath his feet and, when the smoke finally dissipated, Kiyoshi was left sitting on the backside of a large red turtle with intricate blue markings on its backside.

"I-I did it! Guy-sensei I did it!" Kiyoshi screamed, raising both arms triumphantly.

"Well yes you did," the turtle smiled, trying to look backwards at his rider. "You must be Kiyoshi Lee. Oh, hi pops!" the turtle nodded, looking towards the legendary Ningame.

"You managed to summon Nagame," Guy spoke enthusiastically. "How fitting that you would summon the son of my own personal summon. Ah, to be in your spring time of youth."

"Oh, nice to meet you Nagame," Kiyoshi smiled, giving the turtle a "pat on the shell."

"Likewise," came his slow reply.

"Now, simply close your eyes Lee," Guy said, giving the child a smile.

"But why G-" that was all Kiyoshi managed to say.

Everything went dark for a moment. At first Kiyoshi felt that it was because he had closed it eyes, but moments later he lost all sense of touch. Kiyoshi could no longer feel the turtle underneath him or the wind touch his face. He could no longer hear any noises or smell the flowers all around him. Everything was just so dark.

Then there was a flame. It was a single fire that illuminated the pathway in front of him. He was in a dark, dimly lit hallway that seemed to stretch on at infinitum. Kiyoshi could see a bright white light illuminating in the distance.

"That is the Gate of Opening, located in the brain. By closing your eyes on Nagame's shell, you are better able to tune in to your spiritual nature." Kiyoshi took a step forward and then another, reaching for the bright light. Guy's voice seemed to rise in intensity with each step. "Go out and get it Lee! Awaken your first gate!"

Kiyoshi took a deep breath and took off running towards the light in the distance. Each step seemed to take him further away from his goal and after a moment of running, Kiyoshi seemed even further away than when he had begun. Kiyoshi through his hand forward, screaming with all of his might.

"FIRST GATE: GATE OF OPENING, OPEN!"

Kiyoshi awoke, sitting on the floor of the Third Training Ground. He felt physically exhausted, unable to breath for reasons he couldn't quite understand. However, he also felt stronger, like he could lift any weight, move any mountain, or traverse any terrain. For a moment, he thought himself invincible.

"Congratulations Lee," Guy smiled, giving the boy a small wink. "And it only took six hours!"

"Six hours?" Kiyoshi said, his eyes growing wide. "It felt like a few minutes."

"And now, there is one final thing," Guy nodded, pulling four bracelets from his Jonin Vest pocket. After tying one to each of Kiyoshi's wrists and ankles, they tightened around the young child's joints, squeezing tightly. "These are weights specifically designed to help teach chakra control, similar to the training you had with Shikamaru yesterday. Overtime, these weights will go from being five pounds each, to one thousand pounds. The only way to carry such an intense weight will be to use your chakra to help supplement your strength."

"Thank you Guy-sensei," Kiyoshi smiled, looking up at his hero and idol. Guy-sensei gave one final thumbs up before he disappeared into the trees.

"He's so cool," Nagame said in awe. "My father, Ningame idolizes him."

"Yeah, I'm sure he does." Kiyoshi said smiling.


	8. Chapter Eight: Battle of Eternal Rivals

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

Chapter Eight- Battle of Eternal Rivals: Kiyoshi versus Katsu

Kiyoshi ran forward, delivering a powerful Leaf Whirlwind to the leg of the dummy; it caused the wood to clatter, as though it was seconds away from breaking. After throwing another punch and knocking the scarecrow off of its post, Kiyoshi immediately spun, delivering a series of quick kicks and punches to an imaginary opponent. He jumped back, finding another dummy in his peripheral vision, and took off towards it in a series of zigzags and quick changes of direction. After his final step, Kiyoshi disappeared from view for a mere fraction of a second wherein he returned directly under the target.

"Leaf Rising Wind!" the shinobi exclaimed, using all of his strength to execute an upward kick that ripped the dummy straight out of the ground. Kiyoshi leapt into the sky, landing atop of the straw creation and thrust it downwards into the ground. But just as Kiyoshi was about to take a break, a kunai was sent careening towards him at an alarming pace. The young Genin had just enough time to counter the projectile with a kunai of own, sending it harmlessly into the ground. A ninja dressed in dark clothing leapt from out of the trees, landing a few feet with a single kunai at her side. She held it so that it was slightly pressed up against her chest with her arm bent slightly. "Oh, Katsu."

"Fight me," she said, her expression was cold and unwavering.

"R-right now?"

"Kakashi won't train me. Akira is with Neji-sensei. Shikamaru-sensei is preparing for the Chunin Exams. I want you to fight me." She said blandly.

Kiyoshi shook his head, walking over to another dummy, this time repeatedly kicking the side with precision and accuracy. "I have to practice for Guy-sensei."

Bewildered from the refusal, Katsu yelled,"Kiyoshi Lee, I challenge you to a match!" Her hand was angled outwards, pointing at Kiyoshi and her face had turned red from embarrassment.

Kiyoshi stopped cold in his tracks. All at once, a volley of emotions swelled up inside of him, like a balloon just waiting to burst. Everything had been happening so fast. First he had been trained by Guy and now Katsu had been willing to agree to a Rival Match just like those between Kakashi and Guy. He didn't want to seem too enthralled, but he couldn't pretend to hide the excitement anymore.

"So, what's it gonna be!" Kiyoshi shouted to the skies. "No holds bar ninja battle?"

"Taijutsu."

"Huh?" Kiyoshi faltered.

"You heard me. In order to pass the Chunin Exams I need to improve in hand-to-hand combat." She said matter-of-factly.

"Alright, but I won't go easy on you!" Kiyoshi nodded, taking his typical iron-fist stance. Katsu whom had never moved, now rushed forward, swinging her kunai wildly at her opponent. Kiyoshi easily dodged and used his hand to deflect her follow up kick. Kiyoshi felt it was the appropriate time to retaliate and leapt up to deliver a Leaf Hurricane. Katsu managed to duck underneath, but she was nowhere near fast enough to respond to the Leaf Whirlwind that soon followed, knocking her back a few feet.

"Guh," she stammered, holding her side.

"I know you've got the Sharingan. Come one, I want to see what it can really do!" Kiyoshi smiled, looking at his opponent.

"I-I'm not quite sure how it works yet. I still haven't had the chance to talk to Kakashi-sensei. I can't activate at will!" She said, still rubbing her waist.

"Hmph," Kiyoshi smiled. "Then I'm going to finish this!"

Kiyoshi ran forward, pulling back his arm to deliver one final decisive blow. It was going to be swift, and, for Kiyoshi, victory was going to taste so sweet. For too long he had been the runt of the group. Now was his time to shine!

'_I won't let you win!'_ Katsu said, holding both of her arms up to block the attack. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to brace for the attack. When she opened her eyes, her irises were red, with a single black tomoe around her pupil.

* * *

"Again!" Neji shouted, instructing his pupil to strike him.

Akira used the Byakugan to focus in on his sensei's tenketsu. With a total of 361 one of them, Akira felt it would be easy to hit one dead on. However, that was not the case, hitting a chakra point required almost exact precision, something that troubled the Genin to no end.

Using the Gentle Fist was simple. Tyler only had to strike the area in which the tenketsu was located and shoot chakra into it, blocking the opponent's natural flow of chakra. That he understood and was easily able to do. The Eight Trigrams technique called for more accurate and faster movements. Within the past few days, Akira had a large grasp on the Gentle Fist style of Taijutsu. However, he had made no progress in learning Neji's signature technique.

Akira thrust his pointer finger and middle finger directly into the Hyuga's chest, simultaneously emitting chakra from his fingertips. For perhaps the fifteenth time in a row, his attack did not have the desired affect.

"Shikamaru-sensei says that I have no sense of chakra control. I can't walk on water and I can barely climb a tree," Akira said honestly, recalling his first attempt at tree climbing wherein he fell flat on his back.

"It's fine," Neji said, shaking his head. "Most Hyuga members cannot learn this technique until their later years."Neji was easily the tallest of the sensei, maybe only being shorter than Shino and Guy who stood at an impressive six feet tall. He had chalky white eyes, unusual yes, but it was the trademark trait among the Hyuga. He had long straight brown hair, bound together tightly by a single rubber band at the bottom. He was garbed very plainly, a simple white kimono top and white trousers. He also had a black, slightly protective layer, from the hip to the knee.

"Come, I'll teach you my favorite maneuver." Neji says, beckoning him over.

Akira thought that the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms was his favorite technique. He wasn't quite sure what else Neji was capable of doing.

Neji led Akira to a small clearing where he and Tenten used to train when they were younger. Neji stood in the center and found a long, red string that was strewn about on the floor. He picked it up, and placed it in Akira's hands, informing the boy to pull on it when he gave the signal. Akira nodded and, as soon as Neji was ready, the boy pulled the trigger, unknowingly releasing a volley of kunai and shuriken from various hidden traps within the wood. There had to have been hundreds of projectiles flying towards the Jonin, all poised to strike and kill.

Neji spun, releasing chakra from all of his tenketsu at once. The chakra, in combination with the fast, spinning motions created a large rotating shield of chakra around him to toss away the projectiles. When the volley of weaponry ended, so did Neji's acceleration. Within seconds, the shield dissipated, revealing Neji standing confidently in the center of fallen shuriken.

"That is the Rotation technique, formally taught only to the main branch of the Hyuga clan." Neji explained.

"N-Neji-sensei…"

"Unlike the other Hyuga techniques, this one is actually rather simple to master and requires no precise chakra control, and with your amazing reserves of chakra, this technique should be beneficial to you. Come, let us begin…."

* * *

"Not yet," Katsu smiled, catching Kiyoshi's fist in her right hand. With her left hand, she threw a punch directly into his stomach. He doubled over and she took the opportunity to clasp both of her hands together and deliver another blow to his back, sending him face first into the ground. Kiyoshi flipped to his feet, and used a Leaf Whirlwind attack, but Katsu easily jumped over top of it. Before landing, she delivered a downward kick of her own, knocking Kiyoshi back down into the dirt.

"Ugh…how did you," Kiyoshi began, looking up at his opponent.

"I'm not sure," Katsu responded, jumping back so that Kiyoshi could get to his feet.

"This is the sharingan's power. It's like I can see your movements. I know where you're going to be before you do." Katsu said, grinning.

Kiyoshi struggled to his feet and took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself. With the added weight Guy applied, the Genin could feel that his movements were a little slowed, but he didn't understand what powers the Sharigan gave their wielder. Maybe even if he was fighting at full power she would still be able to counter his movements. If only he could activate the first gate, he would show her his true strength.

'_But I promised Guy-sensei…' _Lee frowned, lowering his head. '_I guess I'll just have to try harder!_'

Kiyoshi leapt forward at an alarming pace and disappeared from view. When he rematerialized, he was standing just a few feet in front of her, his arm cocked back and poised to strike. She blocked the blow with her free hand and thrust her kunai forward. The boy barely had enough time to spin to the side and deliver a back handed punch to Katsu's cheek. She took it rather well, however, and delivered two punches of her own to the Genin's midsection and then another straight kick to his chest. The blows were enough to knock Kiyoshi back quite a ways, distancing the two from one another.

Kiyoshi took a deep breath, motioning for Katsu to come to him. She took the taunt and charged, leaping high into the air. Kiyoshi blocked her flurry of kicks, and responded with an attack of his own. The kunoichi ducked underneath Kiyoshi's punch, and tackled him, clasping both of her arms around his waist. Her initial plan was to lift him off the ground and toss him aside, but Kiyoshi proved to be physically dominant. He held his ground and landed a decisive elbow drop to Katsu's backside, knocking her to the floor.

"Chalk another win up for Taijutsu!" Kiyoshi shouted, tightening his hand into a victory fist pump.

"Then try this!" Katsu yelled, rolling over. She took a deep breath and exhaled a giant fireball jutsu. Kiyoshi narrowly managed to avoid the full brunt of the attack, but his shirt caught on fire.

Panicked, the boy failed about, repeatedly hitting the burning piece of cloth with his hand. When it started to creep up along the side of his clothing, he immediately removed his jacket and tossed it on the ground, hoping that he could put the flame out with his foot.

"Summoning Jutsu!" he exclaimed, after biting his finger and place his right hand on the ground. Kiyoshi's large red and blue turtle summon, Nagame appeared, just a few inches from the fire.

"Gahh!" the turtle said, opening his mouth wide with disbelief. He shot a stream of water from his mouth, dousing the small inferno that had been created. "What happened?"

Kiyoshi, annoyed and confused, pointed over to Katsu who had been laughing hysterically all the while. That was, until she saw Nagame, Kiyoshi's summon. She looked at him intently, kneeling down so that she could get a good look at the turtle's face.

"I...I need to go," Katsu frowned, looking away. "I need to find out why Kakashi-sensei won't see me."

"You cheated!" Kiyoshi said disapprovingly, shaking his head. He picked up his jacket, now frayed and almost burned to a crisp. He grabbed onto her arm in an effort to make her stop. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she lied, turning away from him. She wrenched her arm free and took off towards the Leaf Village. "I'll help you with your Ninjutsu some other time!"

"Hmm…" the Nagame muttered, looking at Kiyoshi.

"What?"

"Does this mean you won?" Nagame said.

"I…I won!? Guy-sensei, I won!" Kiyoshi screamed in triumph raising both hands into the air triumphantly. All of his worries over Katsu had immediately vanished when it was clear that he had become victor. "Kiyoshi Lee one! Katsu Uchiha ZEROOOO!"

"Relax." Nagame said sighing.

"Oh, sorry. I get excited whenever I think about Guy-sensei," Kiyoshi said, rubbing the back of his head.

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei!" Katsu gasped, bursting through the doors of the Hokage's office. He stood, glancing out the window that overlooked the entire city of Konoha. To his side stood Yamato, another Jonin from Leaf.

Yamato had a very average face, but that really only went as far as his eyes, his eyes were sharp and intimidating. Visually they didn't look all that different, but when you were staring right at them the effect was glaringly obvious. His head band was situated where it should be, on the forehead, but his band was unique in the way that it was almost like a helmet. He, like Kakashi, was wearing the standard jounin attire, and right now, both of them were staring at her.

"So this is the girl?" Yamato said, smiling at the child. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh?" Katsu said, taken back. "Hello, Yamato-sensei."

"Yamato is going to be training you from now on," Kakashi smiled, giving the child a 'thumbs up.' "I'll oversee as much as I can, but I'm not sure how long I can stay. Recent events have been rather…troubling."

'_How could I have doubted you…Kakashi-sensei," _Katsu thought, a wave of relief washing over her.

"I'll see you tomorrow at Ichiraku around twelve," Yamato said, walking around Kakashi's desk and up to the young kunoichi. He put his hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly before walking out of the room- leaving the Hokage and his students alone.

Kakashi took a seat at his desk and motioned for Katsu to do the same. She sat in the same chair she had a few weeks ago- the very time she and Kiyoshi had gotten into trouble. He pulled up his hitai'ate so that Katsu could see his single Sharinagn eye. She had seen it thousands of times before, but it still shocked her every time she saw it.

"Shikamaru told me you activated your very own Sharingan." Katsu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. While it appeared distress and fear activated the Sharingan the first time, subsequent activations seemed to be triggered based on a calmed mind. Only by taking a step back and truly relaxing could she activate her Sharingan. When she opened her eyes, her irises were deep red, and a single tomoe surrounded her pupil.

He stood and walked up to Katsu, tilting her head upward so that he might get a better look at her eye. The single tomoe worried him. He had hoped she would've already awakened with two tomoe; teaching her would've been much simpler and far quicker. He could show her something once, and within a few hours time, she would most likely master it.

'_Now the chidori will take days to master,' _he sighed_. 'That's time I simply don't have.'_

Kakashi reached into his cloak and pulled out a small red and yellow scroll. Unfolding it, Katsu could see that there was only a single name written on it in red ink- Kakashi Hatake.

"What is this Kakashi-sensei?"

"To be honest," Kakashi shrugged. "It's a gift. Your birthday is in…three, four days now?"

"Tomorrow," she responded, looking rather confused. Summoning contracts were written in blood and normally had a long list of names. This parchment, however, literally only had one signature in RED PEN.

"Right," the Hokage nodded. "Just sign this; you'll understand in a moment."

Katsu took the parchment, as well as the pen Kakashi had laying on his desk, and wrote her name directly under his. She wasn't sure what Kakashi had been trying to accomplish, but she understand that sometimes he worked in "strange ways."

"Now what?" She asked.

"Try the Summoning Jutsu." He motioned for her to continue in the way that was accustomed. She bit her finger, allowing for a small amount of blood to drip and placed her right hand on the ground, exclaiming the very words Kakashi had just muttered.

There was a puff of smoke. Then nothing. Nothing occurred.

For a moment, she thought Kakashi lied to her. That he didn't want to train her because she was a "monster" or some sort of "threat." She felt as if she wasn't good enough to be a shinobi and all at once the panic started to settle and she could feel the tears forming in her eyes and she thought she should just run away.

That was when she felt someone touch her back.

"H-happy birthday Katsu-san," Kiyoshi smiled, sitting on top of a large, blue box with bright red ribbon. The box itself was larger than Kiyoshi, towering over the young kunoichi. Akira and Shikamaru stepped out from behind the box, holding a cake that had the "Leaf" symbol made of frosting situated on top.

"Happy birthday," Akira nodded, smiling slightly. "Teme."

It was still difficult for Akira to be completely open with his new friends, but Katsu was overwhelmed by their gesture of kindness. Being already in an unstable state, Katsu collapsed to the floor, weeping.

"Whoa, kid, relax," Shikamaru said, taken back. "Do you not like the cake? I told Temari that she put too much frosting."

"H-hey, are you alright?" Kiyoshi panicked, jumping off the giant present.

Katsu looked up at her teammate and whipped away her tears. She smiled and hugged onto him, motioning for Akira to join in the embrace. Reluctantly, he too knelt down to hug his comrade.

"Th-thank you," she managed to choke out.

"Why don't you meet the others in the basement," Kakashi said rather abruptly.

Shikamaru nodded, indicating he understood. The Jonin motioned for Kiyoshi and Akira to do the same, and they followed behind to meet up with the others. All of Squad Twelve, Temari, Rock Lee, Sakura, Might Guy, and Iruka had all set up a small get together for the child's twelfth birthday.

Katsu couldn't wait any longer. She pulled on the ribbon, ripping it off in one swift jerk. She assumed it would open like any regular present, but she should known by then that, in the ninja world, everything exploded in a puff of smoke. When it finally cleared, three small dogs, each a different color, happily jumped onto Katsu.

The small blue dog took a deep breath, as though it was about to bark, but hiccupped instead. That wasn't the strange part though. With each hiccup, the dog blew a small bubble. Before long, the room was filled with small water bubbles that Katsu and the other two dogs began popping.

The brown one didn't hiccup, but, instead, couldn't stop sneezing. Like the first, each sneeze brought about a strange occurrence. However, instead of bubbles, it shot out bursts of concentrated air.

Finally, the black dog had a small tuff of red hair right around his left eye. It came as no surprise when the dog barked, shooting out small flamed from his mouth. What did surprise Katsu was when one of the sparks from the flame hit her jacket, catching it on fire.

'_Damn it Kiyoshi!' _ she freaked. The smaller blue dog took a deep breath and unleashed a small stream of water onto Katsu, distinguishing the fire.

"The blue one is Yuuki. The brown one's Konjou. And finally, the black one is Takeshi. They are your ninken, your personal summons. They're young still, only about a few weeks old. You're going to have to teach them to speak of course, but I'm sure they'll make invaluable teammates over time."

"Kakashi-sensei, they're perfect!" She squealed with glee. She wasn't one to normally act so childish, but in this instance, it was incredibly worth it. "Thank you."

"Well, we can talk more later," Kakashi smiled. "With everything happening so suddenly, I thought that a small party would help take everyone's minds off of everything."

"I'll be down in a minute. I want to take the puppies' home first."

"Well, hurry. Everyone's here for you." Kakashi said.

Katsu nodded and took for the door. The three ninken, almost instinctively, followed behind. She rushed down the stairs, barreling over a few Jonin who had the misfortune of coming to see the Hokage.

"Sorry!" she yelled back. She and the dogs made their way to the streets of Konoha, taking the fastest route she could to her home. Katsu hadn't realized, but, during the time spent in the Hokage's office, the sun had completely set, giving way to the darkness of the night. Katsu didn't mind, however. She felt that, as an Uchiha, she should be much more accustomed to the darkness.

"Ruff!" Takeshi barked. Katsu looked over to the dogs who were now growling and were clearly agitated.

"What's wrong?"

She looked over to the animals and ran directly into something. She fell back on her bottom and almost landed directly on one of the small dogs. She looked up, seeing a figure standing over her. He was a tall man, probably only an inch shorter than Guy. He wore a black, short-sleeved shirt, with a low cut collar. His pants were made of a thin, lightweight material and were also black. His hair was onyx, as was his eyes, and fell to about chin-length. The backside was strangely spiky.

"Happy birthday, Katsu Uchiha," he smiled.


	9. Chapter Nine: An Ominous Foretelling

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

Chapter 9- An Ominous Foretelling: Sasuke's Prophecy

"F-father," Katsu stammered, taking a step back. She wasn't sure how to react. Bells were ringing frantically in the back of her mind. They was begging her to flee, to go find help, but she couldn't find it within herself to run. She had waited so desperately for this moment, and now, it almost seemed like a nightmare- a horrible, never ending nightmare.

"I come bearing a warning," the man said, his voice calm and slow as if every word was deliberate and meaningful.

"No!" Katsu yelled, pulling out a kunai from her holster. "You've been gone for twelve years and you think you're going to start spouting off fatherly advice?! No, you're going to listen to me? Why were you banished? What happened to mom? Did you kill Akira's parents!?"

Sasuke was taken aback by Katsu's boldness. She was, of course, his daughter after all. It should've come as no surprise that she had quite a bit of built up angst and rage. However, it was clear she didn't know the strength of the opponent she was facing.

"Very soon everything is going to go terribly wrong," Sasuke frowned, looking up to the sky. "War is on the horizon."

"Don't you think I know that!" Katsu shook her head. "It's only a matter of time before everything get's all messed up!"

For a fleeting moment, Katsu wondered if she should've yelled at her father like she did, but she just shook her head.

'_Kakashi is and always will be my father!' _

"You're foolish," Sasuke said, taking a deep breath. "Don't you understand that you will be at the heart of it all?"

"What, why me?" she asked, dropping her guard.

"Not just you," he replied. "When the time comes you and I will be on separate sides of the battlefield. When it comes down to it, will you be able to strike me down? Will you be able to do what needs to be done?"

Katsu took a step back, slightly frightened by her father words.

"I've been doing just fine on my own!" she yelled back.

"Hmm… I can see that," he frowned. "You haven't stopped shaking since you got here."

The dogs too had grown quiet, hiding behind Katsu's legs. It seemed even they understood the powerful threat that stood just a few inches in front of them. If he decided to attack for whatever reason, it would be unlikely anyone would survive.

"I'm not afraid of you!" she tried to yell.

"Did you ever hear what happened to your clan?" Sasuke asked, when no answer came he just sighed, shaking his head. "No, of course not. Kakashi would never let that information slip for fear you would wind up a problem."

"A-A problem?" Katsu yelled. "I'm not you! I'm not some animal that needs to have his life cut short!"

'_Why am I the only Uchiha! What happened to the clan! Why did they want me killed! What did you do?!'_But the questions just continued screaming inside of her brain, her mind betraying her disinterested front.

"Are you even the least bit curious?" he inquired, tilting his head back as though he already knew the answer.

"Tell me!" she yelled, mustering up her last bit of courage to advance a single step forward.

"You're in no position to make demands," Sasuke said, his voice still calmed and monotone. "Tsukuyomi!"

"What!" Katsu screamed, blinded by a bright white light that seemed to completely encompass her.

When she came to, everything was dark and it was difficult to see. It was like she was in a different part of the village, and her father was nowhere to be seen. That was when she heard a scream. Running past her were three women, clutching their children tightly against their breasts. Katsu vaguely could hear the shouts and terrified screams of others from all over. What scared her most was the fire. Anywhere she looked, Katsu could see pillars of smoke and burning buildings all around her.

A single boy came running out from one of the houses, holding a small teddy bear in his hands. He had to have been no older than seven or so, and she thought he looked a little strange- so small and so young to be amidst this horrific conflict.

That was when she saw him. A man dressed in the typical ANBU uniform- black pants, gray vest, black undershirt, and a small tanto in his right hand. He had long black hair tied in a ponytail and black bangs that framed the side of his face.

The young boy stood no chance. In seconds, the mystery ANBU personal, struck him down, sending the blood-ridden teddy bear flying towards Katsu. It was an experience Katsu couldn't merely put into words; seeing someone mercilessly killed in such a way… she didn't want to experience something like that ever again.

The killer somehow either miraculously didn't notice Katsu shaking in fear or here merely chose to ignore her. Either way, he leapt off onto a nearby house, igniting it on fire with a fireball larger than the like's she had ever seen.

"That… was Itachi," Sasuke said, appearing from the doorway of a still intact dwelling.

"Th-the Itachi?" Katsu stammered, hearing another cry in the distance.

'_The fabled shinobi of the Uchiha clan…caused all of this destruction?'_

"He was ordered to do this. All of this," Sasuke replied shaking his head. "Don't hate him for it. He was only trying to protect me… and the home he loved so dear."

"You… and Konoha?" Katsu said, trying to get a grip on the entire situation. "Why would he-"

"It will all be revealed in due time," Sasuke replied, never giving the slightest hint of emotion or feeling. "Come, we have much to see."

The walk to their destination was painfully slow. Every step there would be more cries of pain and agony, pleas for salvation and life. Every so often Katsu would see Itachi or another man with an orange mask peer into view. Thankfully she didn't see another murder…no murder wasn't the right word. This was a massacre.

"Who is that?" she inquired, pointing to the masked man who would occasionally float into view.

"That is Obito Uchiha, the orchestrator of the Fourth Shinobi War," Sasuke said solemnly. "Years ago, he formed the Akatsuki, a group of rouge ninja bent on world conquest. At first, they operated under the guise of world piece, but it became apparent early on that they were only interested in power and money. All but three, Konan, Nagato, and Itachi had always held the ideals of peace in their minds."

"How can you say they craved peace? I know about Nagato and his manipulation of the entity known as Pain! He was a monster!" she yelled, furious with the lies her father was spewing. She didn't even understand why he had been giving her all of this useless information. "And now Itachi… Everyone claims he was a hero. Even Kakashi thinks of him as the greatest shinobi of all time!"

"Perhaps Kakashi felt that the destruction of the Uchiha Clan made Itachi worthy of that title," the older Uchiha theorized, never looking down at his child.

"No, Kakashi-sensei would never think that. He loves me, and he loved you! He loved you!" she yelled back

Sasuke just shrugged, stopping at house that was just ahead. It was already on fire, burning from the roof down. It was still mostly intact, but the door had been ripped from its frame. Sasuke motioned for Katsu to look inside.

It was Sasuke… or at least a younger version of him. He had to have been no older than the little boy whom had been struck down just moments before. Across from Sasuke were three individuals. One Katsu could clearly make out was Itachi, but she didn't know who the other two were.

"Your grandparents," Sasuke said, looking away just as Itachi's sword met with their flesh. Katsu turned to throw up again, but nothing came. She didn't want to look back, but something forced her to.

"Itachi, why did you do this!" Little Sasuke cried out, looking at the bodies of both of his parents.

"To test the limits of my abilities…" the man replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You're telling me that that was the reason you butchered every single member of our clan?" the child said in disbelief, standing to his feet.

"It was of great importance," Itachi shrugged, turning to leave the child be. Little Sasuke couldn't take that as an answer. Out of blind fury he rushed Itachi. He didn't know what he would do when he reached his brother, but he knew that somehow he would make him pay. He would hurt him! Itachi grabbed the child's wrist and tossed him back, hurling him into the wooden floor. "Foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life. Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life."

"Itachi no!" Katsu yelled, running into the room.

"Tsukuyomi!" the figure exclaimed, again releasing a blinding white light that took Katsu by surprise. Again when she opened her eyes she was in a new location. Or… rather an old one. She was back in what she assumed to be present day Konoha, standing a few feet away from her father.

"Why did you show me all this?" Katsu cried, her eyes finally filled with tears. "Why did you show me the destruction of our clan? Why would my uncle do that?"

"He had to…" Sasuke replied, frowning, for the first time showing emotion. "Konoha was his everything… The Uchiha Clansmen were always persecuted for their strength and over time, we began to resent the hatred we felt from the other clans. It was this hatred that led the Uchiha Clan to plan a coup. Danzo, an elder from before your time, ordered the destruction of the clan to protect the Leaf. Itachi was the one ordered to do so, but he spared me, and only me, so that I may "avenge" the clan- allowing Itachi to suffer for his sins."

"But why are you showing me this?" Katsu said, drying her tears.

"I want you to understand and make your own decision," Sasuke said truthfully. "When I was younger, others used my hatred to manipulate me. I made choices that were driven by anger and confusion. No matter what has happened… no matter what will happen, you at least deserve to know the whole truth. Not just the bits and pieces that I was told."

"I'm not you! And I'm certainly not Itachi!" Katsu yelled, showing the defiant look in her eyes. "I will never turn my back on Konoha! What's in the past is in the past and Kakashi has always stood by me! Kiyoshi has always stood by me! I have friends who count on me and nothing is going to change that. I'm not interested in what happened thirty years ago. What happened to the clan was monstrous, but Itachi could've said no! He could've risen up against this… this Danzo guy and taken him out!"

"If it were only that simple… you're just too young to understand!"

"Leaf hurricane!" a voice screamed from the darkness.

Kiyoshi tried to deliver a kick to Sasuke's midsection, but the battle-hardened ninja had seen that very technique hundreds of times. He easy knocked the weaker first kick away, and then delivered a blow to Kiyoshi's midsection when he spun for the second. The child was knocked back onto the ground, slightly dazed and out of breath.

"Moron…" Sasuke frowned raising his hand. "Chidori Str-"

He had resolved to kill the child. After all, he was just proving to be a nuisance. Hinoto's reports indicated that the boy, if left unchecked, could prove a thorn in their side. He was just too willful and wouldn't allow the natural progression of things. However, he couldn't deliver the final blow. Instinctively, Katsu had jumped in front of her teammate, kunai in hand, to protect him while he was down.

"Thanks," Kiyoshi said, getting to his feet. He was shaking out of uncontrollable fear. Everything in his body told him to run, but he couldn't leave Katsu behind. He had no idea what Sasuske's plan was.

"No problem, but get out of here!" Katsu yelled to her friend. "I can handle this."

"No chance!" Kiyoshi leapt out from behind his teammate, and cracked his knuckles.

"I've wanted to use this for a while now. First Gate: Gate of Opening- Open!"

The boy thrust his arms down to his sides, creating a shockwave of energy that twirled Katsu's hair and clothes. She could feel the increase in Kiyoshi's power and could see the rapid chakra flow with her sharingan.

'_Was he hiding this power when we fought?' _Katsu pondered.

"Enough!" Sasuke said, throwing his right hand into the air. "I don't have time to continue this fight."

"He's right," Kiyoshi said, looking at Katsu. "If we make enough noise, the whole village will come running!"

"Just wait Kiyo-chan!" Katsu shot back, resolved her hear her father out, she placed her hand in front of Kiyoshi to stop him from attacking.

"Ch-chan!?" Kiyoshi freaked, giving Katsu the death stare. All at once his fear left his body. It was if he forgot they were staring down an S-ranked criminal. "Akira is dobe and I'm… Kiyo-chan!?

"Just shut up and listen!" Katsu hushed.

"I leave you with this warning: Konoha is at the threshold of war. At its heart will be you and Akira Uzumaki. Train and be ready for war's embrace. For if you are not, then pray for those you have failed. For when the plan becomes reality, there will be no hope," he said turning to leave. "And beware the influence of Madara Uchiha…"

"You're not getting away!" Kiyoshi yelled running forward. "Leaf Rising Wind!"

Lightning struck Sasuke's position just as it had struck Hinoto when they first encountered him. The lightning blast tossed Kiyoshi back into Katsu, disorienting the two Genin. After the bright light had faded away, Sasuke was gone. The only evidence he had ever been there was a small pile of soot where the lightning had struck.

"Why did you interfere?" Katsu said, looking away from her teammate.

"I was worried," he responded truthfully. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No," she responded, remembering the cold-blooded murder she witnessed just moments ago.

"We have to find the Hokage and Guy-sensei; they'll know what to do."

"No," she said again.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't tell anyone," Katsu warned. "They'll jump to conclusions and keep us trapped in the village. If they know Sasuke is out there… after Akira and I then everyone will go searching for Sasuke."

"They should," Kiyoshi said matter-of-factly. "He's bad news."

"He's my father!" she said back, glaring at the boy. "He's a good guy and I know it. I don't want to get anyone else involved. It's bad enough he said that he was working with Hinoto."

"H-Hinoto?" Kiyoshi said, taken aback. "Oh yeah, definitely a good guy…"

"Promise me you won't tell. If I'm wrong, we can go run off to Kakashi-sensei, but, until then, I don't want anyone to know he was here Kiyo-chan."

"We have to at least tell Akira, he's part of this too."

"No!" she shouted back. "I don't want him to worry. It's bad enough you're involved now."

"Too late," a voice said from atop a nearby building. Akira jumped from the roof and landed a few feet away from the duo. "I heard most of what happened."

"Great…" Katsu said, walking away from the boys.

Kiyoshi looked at Akira who returned the same expression. They worried about her. It was clear to them that she was putting her personal feelings in front of her safety and, worse, the safety of the village. They needed to talk some sense into her.

Akira knew he couldn't do that though. He had been hiding secrets of his own from his teammates for fear they would judge him. He hadn't wanted to tell the truth, but if it meant protecting Katsu and Kiyoshi he would allow them to know.

"I'm the Leaf's Jinchuriki," Akira blurted out, looking away. Katsu turned with a look of shock on her face. Kiyoshi did the same.

"Why didn't you tell us before? You think we should've known that about you?" Katsu said, a little more sad than angry.

"Like I should've known Sasuke is after me for whatever reason?" Akira shot back.

"Face it, we've all been keeping secrets, even Kiyoshi."

"I'd like to go on the record saying that I haven't been keeping secrets," Kiyoshi added.

"Just don't tell anyone!" Katsu yelled back. She looked at the puppies that she had forgotten were there, and motioned for them to follow. She along with the trio of dogs rushed off in the direction of Katsu's home. Kiyoshi went to follow, but Akira grabbed onto his arm, holding him in place.

"We need to talk," Akira said, frowning slightly.

"She could be in trouble!" Kiyoshi responded. "We can't just sit here."

"Tell her the truth," Akira frowned.

"About what?!" Kiyoshi yelled. "I'm not you! I'm not hiding anything!"

"That was uncalled for…" Akira responded, ashamed that he hadn't let them know the truth sooner.

"We're your team, you should've trusted us!" Kiyoshi yelled back, more out of hurt than actual anger.

"I couldn't risk you treating me differently. It's bad enough I'm the son of the Great and Almighty Naruto Uzumaki! Now that I'm the Jinchuriki you're going to start rolling out the red carpet."

Kiyoshi punched Akira square in the jaw. The blonde haired boy was astonished for a moment, unsure of what had just transpired. He hadn't been expecting Kiyoshi to throw a punch like that.

"You're nothing special!" Kiyoshi yelled. "All you've done is complain and act like a loner this entire time. Stop thinking you're this big deal just because of who your parents were! You're the reason Hinoto came after us! Instead of complaining, get stronger!"

"Hinoto wanted Katsu and I," Akira snapped. "It wasn't all my fault."

"Whatever, go play with the demon trapped inside of you!" Kiyoshi shooed, shaking his head in disgust.

Akira shook his head, and turned away. He had said all that he had wanted to say. He leapt off into the night, returning home. No one was there to greet him like always, and he went straight to bed.

Kiyoshi eventually found Katsu crying in her home. He convinced her that she had to return to the party or else she might attract unwanted suspicion by Kakashi. So the two went back, pretending to enjoy the festivities. Katsu couldn't help but dwell on what her father had revealed to her. Kiyoshi couldn't help, but worry for his friend.

* * *

Omake #2

**Kiyoshi: **Uh, Katsu-san

**Katsu**: Yes Kiyo-chan?

**Kiyoshi: **Are we done with all the "Katsu Chapters?" I mean, I am the main character? I think there should be more chapters about me.

**Akira: **Well the Narrator clearly wants to give us all some screen time. I think it's sort of unfair how Kiyo-chan and Teme get all the screen time.

**Kiyoshi: **Wah? Now you're calling me Kiyo-chan too!?

**Katsu: **Well you become much more important in the Chunin Exams Akira-dobe!

**Inoki, Shikawa, and Choya: **What about us!?

**Kiyo-chan: **Well of course, you guys-eh… WHAT?! Now my name is Kiyo-chan! Look at that, the Narrator wrote Kiyo-chan!?

**Shikamaru: **Relax Kiyo-chan, think of it as a term of endearment.

**Kiyoshi: **Oh no, not you too Shikamaru-sensei…

**Akira: **And don't tell Squad Fourteen that they're boring. The readers don't really care about them… especially the chubby one.

**Choya: **Did you just call me chubby?

**Shikawa: **Baka!

**Choya: **Human Boulderrrr!

**All: **GAHHHHHH!

* * *

Author's Note-

Just as a heads up, chapter one, and all of the chapters up until this point are likely to be rewritten. I wasn't happy with the style of writing I used and, after rewriting chapter one; I think I can do a much better job. Anyway, a new version of chapter one has been uploaded. If you've read the story already, it would mean a lot to me if you could just go back, take a look at it, and see if you like the upgraded version better. Or not. Ya know, whatever you want to do is fine. Anyway, thankts for reading.


	10. Chapter Ten: The Chunin Exams Begin

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Ten- The Chunin Exams Begin: Akira's Resolve

A single month felt like an eternity. All of the hours they spend training were finally going to pay off. In less than twelve hours, Squad twelve was to be thrown into a competition that they simply were not ready for. The Chunin exams were wrought with danger and death; many Genin didn't make it out alive. The children didn't know that of course. That isn't to say they were confident, no, quite the contrary. They were frightened and rather nervous, not of death, however. They were worried they wouldn't do Konoha justice.

They were on a mission. Along with Squad Fourteen and a few other teams from Konoha, the Genin were under strict command to win the Chunin Exam Tournament. Losing would make the Leaf Village look weak, something Konoha could not afford. With the Rock Village trying to out muscle Sunagakure, Kakashi could not let Konoha be there next target.

"Tomorrow…." Kiyoshi said to himself, taking a deep breath to steady his breathing.

The Hokage's Monument was a sight to behold and the signature symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village. From almost anywhere within the walls of Konoha, anyone could see the six faces that were etched on the mountainside.

Hashirama Senju, the first of the Hokage, had been known as the man with no equal. It is told that the master of the Wood Style Jutsu had managed to create Konoha and the forests surrounding it with his masterful techniques. The story is told that Hashirama was also seen as the only rival to Madara Uchiha, an misguided and dangerous ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village's Uchiha Clan. Their rivalry culminated in a clash between the two at the Valley of the End. The story's outcome is often shifted and skewed, but it is widely believed Hashirama came out as the victor.

The Second Hokage was the brother of the first. Tobirama Senju's past is much more shrouded in mystery. He created the Impure World Resurrection Technique as well as the first Space-Time Jutsu and established various organizations within the Leaf, including the Ninja Academy, ANBU, and Konoha's Military Police Force. He is often forgiven for creating such a heinous technique for one simple fact- he trained the third Hokage.

The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was appointed Hokage when his superior, Tobirama, met an untimely death protecting his subordinates. If Hashirama was known as the man with no equal, Hashirama was the God among men. He was everything the people wished for in a leader. He was kind of heart and even calmer of mind. Even in his old age, Hiruzen had managed to take on, and defeat reincarnated versions of the first two Hokage and the Snake Sannin, Orochimaru. He was a great shinobi and an even greater man.

Next came the most famous of the Hokage, Minato Namikaze. The Fourth Fire Shadow could not measure up to the Third's sheer strength and power. What he lacked in ferocity, the honorable Yodaime Hokage had made up for in speed and agility. Minato had spent most of his life studying the Second Hokage's Time-Space Jutsu. With a simple thrown kunai, Minato could travel great distances in the blink of an eye. Coupled with the Rasengan, an S-ranked technique powerful enough to defeat most shinobi with a single blow, it's no wonder enemy shinboi shinobi during the Third Shinobi War had been given a "flee on sight" command whenever the Fourth stepped onto the battle field. If that wasn't enough, he happened to be the father of Naruto Uzumaki and the grandfather of Akira.

The Fifth Hokage was the woman of many names: Konoha's Slug Princess, the Slug Sannin, the First Female Kage, and The Legendary Sucker. Tsunade was one of the students of the Third Hokage, and the Granddaughter of the first. Known for her adamantine strength and medical prowess, Tsunade was Hokage during the Fourth Shinobi War during what is now regarded as the "Tobi Incident." Fittingly, Tsunade is still alive, spending most of her time gambling away her fortune.

Finally, the current Hokage is the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake. As the student of the Fourth, Kakashi had grown to be a powerful Shinobi during his day. While never regarded as a "God," Kakashi proved his true might during the Fourth Shinobi War when he and his eternal rival, Might Guy, took down Obito Uchiha, a man hell bent on the destruction of the natural world. Since then, Kakashi has even further honed his skill, and it is often teased that Kakashi, coupled with his lifelong teammate, is now more powerful than any other Kage in existence. That is just speculation of course. No one can know for sure.

Kiyoshi sat atop of Tsunade's memorial stone. She was his favorite Hokage as the Kunoichi was the mentor and spiritual predecessor to his mother, Sakura Haruno. Of course he thought the others were amazing, he idolized Hiruzen more than any other. Kiyoshi just felt that Tsunade was more relatable. He had met her a few times before during visits with his mother and she seemed liked a very kind-hearted yet firm individual. Whenever Kiyoshi needed time to think, he would perch himself high on the stone statue of the Fifth Hokage to rest and clear his mind.

He closed his eyes once more, and breathed deeply.

"Hey," he heard Akira's voice creep into his head. "It's tomorrow isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Kiyoshi responded, opening his eyes so that he could see his teammate standing over the face of his grandfather, the Fourth Hokage.

There was something on Kiyoshi's mind. The last time the two shinobi had spoken, things had ended rather poorly. How could the team survive the following day if there was unrest among the ranks? He had to make sure everything was okay? Just as he was about to though…

"Are we cool?" Akira asked, looking away from Kiyoshi.

"Listen," Kiyoshi said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're my teammate and you're also kind of my friend. Demon or not, we're comrades of the Hidden Leaf and I've got your back. I didn't mean what I said."

It was true. Kiyoshi wasn't in the right mindset when he had argued with Akira that night a month before. Katsu had been through hell just moments before and Kiyoshi had been worrying for her safety. After mulling it over for the subsequent weeks, Kiyoshi realized he had reacted terribly.

"Well thanks," the boy nodded back. "For treating me like a human, not just some vessel for the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit. And he's not really much of a Demon. He's kind of a softy to be honest. He just sort of gives me advice from time to time."

"Of course Akira," Kiyoshi smiled, giving the Uzumaki a "thumbs up." "You're a human being, what else would I treat you like?"

Akira took a deep breath and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up so that Kiyoshi could get a good look at the boy's stomach. A two-layered seal spiraled around the child's belly button. The first, the Eight-Trigrams Seal, consisted of a spiral mark and eight lines stemming from a circle around the inner spiral. The second layer consisted of five strange symbols that appeared similar to small flames that appeared at various intervals around the outer circle. This was the Five Pronged Seal.

"Like a vessel," Akira replied solemnly. "To some people in the village, this is all I am. I'm just a 'weapon' or a carrier of a demon like my dad. To the people of the Leaf… this is all I am."

"And to the people of the Leaf, I'm merely the daughter of a rogue. I'm a probable disaster waiting to happen," said a voice to Kiyoshi's left. Katsu had been standing atop Kakashi's face. He wondered how long she had been standing there, how much she had heard, but he realized it didn't matter. It was nice that they were all together for once.

Kiyoshi wanted to say something comforting, but in no way could he relate to their pain. He had a mother and father, both of whom were respected members of Konoha's elite shinobi force. His mother was the head of the medical division in the Leaf Village, working around the clock to ensure the safety of shinobi and civilians alike. His father was now known as an ambassador of peace around the shinobi world. What he couldn't fix with his iron fists, Lee would correct with his soft words of encouragement and youth. He didn't know what it was liked to be looked at as "less than human."

But he could relate in another way.

"Then let's prove everyone wrong!" Kiyoshi said, tightening his fists and thrusting his arm in the air. "I'm tired of being a failure! And I'm tired of being afraid! Guy- sensei, Neji-sensei, and Kakashi- sama, they all believe in us."

"What about me?" another voice came through the darkness.

Kiyoshi began to wonder just how many people had been listening to their conversation. Was every shinobi in the Leaf Village hiding in the darkness, spying on the three children? He had just wanted to be alone, but now he was glad that he wasn't.

There was a swirling of wind and leaves, the signature succession of events that indicated Shikamaru was to appear. Sure enough, the sensei materialized, appearing just behind Kiyoshi so that he too was standing between Akira and Katsu. He had a look of concern painted across his face, but who could argue with him? His team was young, inexperienced, and the trio rarely got along… he was worried about them.

"Of course you believe in us Shikamaru-sensei," Kiyoshi smiled, giving Shikamaru another "thumbs up."

Shikamaru didn't say anything at first. He was silent and couldn't look his subordinates in the eyes. He knew a leader was supposed to say something at times like this. He was expected to rally his men to victory so that the mission was a success. However, he found himself thinking less and less about the mission and more and more about something else…

"Be safe," Shikamaru said, giving the children a small smile. "I know you have a mission to complete and all, but I'd rather just have the three of you come back safely. I know we haven't been a team for very long… and we've only been on four missions together, but I believe in you. All three of you will accomplish great things, but you can't do anything if you're dead."

Morbid but true words echoed in the back of Kiyoshi's mind. He hadn't thought about actually dying. In fact, he hadn't thought of the possibility of death since his first encounter with Hinoto. He had so many goals, so many things he wanted to accomplish. He wouldn't allow himself to fail in the Chunin Exams. He was going to win the whole tournament without a scratch.

Akira and Katsu jumped to Tsunade's statue so that the entire team could be close to one another. Kiyoshi extended his hand and looked to his teammates. Katsu put her hand down on top of Kiyoshi's and Akira reluctantly followed suit. Kiyoshi looked at Shikamaru, coaxing him to do the same and their sensei eventually placed his hand on top to finish the pile.

"Squad Twelve on three," Kiyoshi smiled, looking at his companions.

"One!" Katsu said excitedly, practically jumping in the air.

"Two!" Akira agreed, giving a sly smirk to show his approval.

"Three!" Shikamaru nodded, proud of the team he had been given. It had only been a few weeks since Squad Twelve had come together as a team. They were inexperienced, quarreled amongst one another, and were relatively unfit and unprepared to take on the challenges laid out for them. However, they had a strong sense of friendship and understanding. Shikamaru new at that moment, as long as they stayed together, everything would be fine.

"Squad Twelve!" the four shouted in unison throwing their arms upwards into the sky.

* * *

"Ready?" Katsu asked, turning to her two teammates. She placed her right hand firmly on the door in front of her, hesitating to turn the nob.

They had heard from Shikamaru that the first round of the Chunin Exams took place within the classrooms of the Ninja Academy. Kiyoshi felt it rather odd to walk the halls of the academy once again, but he had slightly gotten used to it within the past few weeks. Of course, he had been there quite frequently, as the room on the topmost floor was where the Hokage would assign missions to various teams.

"I'm so not ready," Kiyoshi frowned, hanging his head in defeat.

Akira placed his hand over Katsu's and the two Genin took a deep breath. Once they opened the door, they couldn't go back. They were going to have to succeed, become Chunin, and reestablish the Leaf's position as the strongest of the Great Shinobi Villages. They had to win. Akira turned his hand, turning Katsu's hand and the doorknob in the process. Kiyoshi panicked, taking a step back and tripping over himself, bashing the back of his head on the floor.

The loud crash came at the worse possible time. Just as the door opened, the sudden bang caught the attention of every Genin in the room. Each eye was intensely focused on their direction. All at once, Akira felt "red flags" appear in his mind. Each shinobi was sizing up the trio, slowly judging them. Looking back at Kiyoshi and noticing his own trembling hand, Akira noted that they probably didn't look "Chunin Material." It was at that moment he realized that he and his team were at the top of everyone's lists. They were deemed… easy targets.

Most of the ninja had been fellow shinobi from the Leaf, but hadn't graduated from the Academy the same year as Squad Twelve. These Leaf Genin were older, much more experienced. Kiyoshi couldn't make out any Iwagakure ninja, but he could see a few Mist, Cloud, and Sand Village ninja spread about. Kiyoshi had expected to see a few Grass or Rain ninja, but he had forgotten that those regions were now part of the much larger Land of Sound. Though, even then, he could only make out a few Otogakure shinobi.

"I didn't know you three would be here," Shikawa's voice broke through the awkward silence. If nothing else, it diffused the intense situation, causing most of the Genin to go back to their own conversations and forget about the embarrassing situation that occurred just moments before. "I knew this was going to be lame, but I didn't expect anything like this."

"Hey Kiyoshi! Katsu!" Choya smiled rather cheerfully. He hurriedly rushed to his friend's sides and gave them each a "high five." At one time they had been such good friends, it was nice for the trio to talk and catch up. Things had been moving so fast they hadn't had time to grab some Ichiraku.

Besides, it gave Akira and Shikawa a chance to talk.

"Shikawa," Akira said, allowing the words to linger. "All joking aside, I'm rather glad to see you here. I thought we'd be the only Genin here from our year." Like Kiyoshi and Katsu, Akira didn't particularly like Shikawa. However, the two had a type of silent respect for one another that allowed them to cooperate. Back at the academy, they had been rivals in intellect, similarly to how Inoki and Katsu had been.

"Good to see you too," Shikawa shook his head, looking over to the crowded room of shinobi just behind him. "Word of advice though; there are ninja here that far outclass our own skill and strength. I'm not sure if you can see it with your byakugan, but Inoki can sense that their chakra levels are off the charts in comparison to our own."

Akira had noticed of course. The byakugan allowed Akira the ability to sense and assess an individual's chakra level. From there it was easy to assess and separate strong ninja's from weak. This wasn't a foolproof ability however, as some rather powerful shinobi in history possessed rather low levels of chakra. Almost everyone here though, possessed a level of chakra control that the Rookie Six from Konoha could not hope to compete with.

"Yeah," Akira frowned, glancing around at a few of the ninja in the classroom with the highest chakra control. "I'm hoping Katsu doesn't notice and tell Kiyo. He get's frightened easily. Anyone in particular we should be worried about?"

"He should be scared," Shikawa said honestly. He didn't like to admit his own faults, but, after what he had learned, even Shikawa was slightly shaken up. "The Rock Village only sent one team this year, comprised of Genin that were handpicked by the Tsuchikage. Apparently two of the Iwagakure ninja possess some sort of Kekkei Tota."

A Kekkei Genkai is an advanced form of nature chakra that literally translates into "Bloodline Limit." Apparently, each shinobi is born with an affinity to a single nature of chakra, either fire, lightning, water, earth, or wind. This allows a ninja to learn specific jutsu easily at a younger age because of their natural affinities. Ergo, a ninja born with an affinity for fire has an easier time learning the Fireball Jutsu over the Earth Dome jutsu. Overtime these affinities can be stepped over and one can master multiple elements despite their affinity.

That isn't the case with someone who happens to inherit a bloodline limit from their parents. These people are born with an affinity to two elemental chakras, allowing the individual to mix the two types of chakra. The only kekkei genkai Akira had ever seen was Yamato's Wood Release, which happened to be a combination of the Water and Earth elemental chakras. These ninja are often powerful, as they possess the advantage of surprise. Kekkei Genkai users are so few that opponents rarely know how to combat their strange techniques.

A Kekkei Tota, translating into "Bloodline Selection," was even more dangerous, combining three natures to create a single element. As far as Akira could recall there was only one known Kekkei Tota in existence, the Dust Release- often seen as the signature chakra nature of the Second and Third Tsuchikage. However, the technique was thought to be lost after Onoki's children showed no immediate signs of possessing the Dust Release Kekkei Tota. If what Shikawa said was true, these two Genin could have some sort of advanced chakra natures that no one had ever seen before.

"And," Shikawa continued. "There's the top Mist Village Team. Among them is Isao, an aspiring Swordsman of the Mist. Then we have my cousin's team comprised Sonzai and her crew…"

"A… Swordsman of the Mist?" Kiyoshi's voice rang through Akira's ears. It was clear that he and Katsu had been intently listening to Akira and Shikawa speak. Katsu could see her teammate tremble. His right arm was shaking uncontrollably and it wasn't long before his left followed suit. There was so much competition, so many other Genin with strength that far outclassed his own. How could he ever hope to win?

"Hey," Katsu frowned, placing an arm on her teammate's shoulder. "Kiyo don't get so down-"

Kiyoshi was tired of being afraid. He had been saying it over and over in his head; now was his time to shine. The Hokage was counting on them, with a real mission this time. He couldn't go into the exams afraid for his life. He had to be confident, like Guy would be. He had to be strong.

He wasn't going to back down!

"Listen up!" Kiyoshi frowned, drawing the attention of every ninja in the room. "My name is Kiyoshi Lee and I'm not going to lose to any of you!"

Kiyoshi extended his right arm in fist to show his resolve. Even with the glares staring back at him, for the first time perhaps in his entire life, Kiyoshi felt confident, almost like he was invincible. Maybe it was all the training with Guy, but Kiyoshi felt like there was no chance he was going to lose.

"Alright pay attention," a voice came from behind Kiyoshi. There was a puff of smoke by the door to the room, clouding the Rookie Six's vision. When the smoke had finally cleared, ten or so ninja appeared, all Chunin ranked or higher. Among them stood a Special Jonin with a large dog beside him.

Kiba Inuzuka was about as tall as Rock Lee, but was slightly stockier with larger arms. He had short, spiky black hair that was held up by the headband around his head. Like all Leaf Ninja, Kiba's headband possessed the iconic Leaf Village insignia. His outfit was rather plain, only wearing black, slick pants and a black, sleek jacket over a gray undershirt. His most defining characteristic was the distinct red fang marks that all the Inuzuka wore.

The room was set up very much like a typical lecture hall; stairs descended in rows from the back of the room to the front with long tables in front of them. The set up allowed for students in the back of the room to easily be able to see the proctor in the front of the room. For the proctor, there was a large, wooden podium with the kanji for shinobi etched into the front.

"I am Kiba Inuzuka, proctor of the first test for the Chunin Exams. Sorry for making you wait," Kiba nodded, holding up a small piece of paper with a red letter one printed on the side. Kiba explained the parameters of the first test. Rather than a test of skills and strength, the first exam was meant to assess a Genin's ingenuity and intelligence in the form of a written exam. After each student picked a number and was randomly assigned a seat, the test would be passed out. "Before I hand out the tests, there are a few rules we have to discuss…"

'_Rules?_' Katsu pondered, rolling the pencil she had been given around in her hands. '_How complicated can this test be?_'

"Test taker's start with a perfect score of ten points," Kiba shrugged, moving over to the chalkboard in the front of the room. His ninken, Akamaru, grabbed a piece of chalk in his mouth, handing it over to his master when Kiba asked for it. The shinobi then continued to write the rules on the board. "The test is made up of ten questions and one point is subtracted for each incorrect answer. If you get a perfect score, you get to keep your ten points. Anyone caught cheating will lose two points. We'll have our eyes on each of you, so it won't be easy. Realize if you're caught cheating, your on the fast track out of here. So, be smart and don't get caught."

"This is a team score?" Akira said to himself, frowning and shaking his head. He knew that he and Katsu were smart enough to pass any exam. However, Kiyoshi was a completely different story. He was the brawn… well sort of, of the team. They would just have to do well enough to make up for Kiyoshi's blunders. That meant they had to each get a perfect score.

"However, if someone fails to answer any questions and scores a zero on the exam… they will fail along with their two teammates. Understood?" Kiba smiled, waving his finger. "You have one hour."

Kiyoshi wasn't sure as both Katsu and Akira sat behind him, but he could feel their angry stares glaring in his direction. He slammed his face on the table, assured that he was going to be his team's downfall. He had to at least get one point. Katsu and Akira would do just fine, but he had to score at least one point!

Akira flipped over his test, glancing through the questions presented to him. The first question was a complex cryptogram. It didn't make much sense at first, but, after a few seconds of gazing, Akira was able to accurately decipher the key. It was rather intense for a Genin-ranked question, requiring one to have studied the old ways the Hidden Leaf Village used to decode documents. Each letter was given a predetermined number, but these numbers followed no set code. For instance, the letter "A" was given the number 124 while "B" was graced with "732." For years rivaling nations tried to uncover the Leaf's strategy of deciphering sensitive document when, in actuality, the cryptogram wasn't really a puzzle at all. It was actually straight memorization. One had to know the numbers beforehand.

'_That means…_' Akira shook his head. '_This question is completely unfair to anyone who isn't a Leaf Village native.'_

It was true. Someone would've had to extensively study Leaf Military History to know anything about this decryption method. How was someone like Sonzai, a native of the Hidden Sand Village, supposed to answer this question?

'_Unless they cheated…_' he thought again glancing around the room. For a mere second, he started to panic. Kiyoshi had to get at least one question right on this test. If they wanted any hope of passing, he would have to pass his teammate one correct answer. He had hoped, at least, Katsu was doing just fine. He figured she was pretty smart. '_Just don't cheat Kiyo. I'll find a way to pass you an answer, just you wait.'_

Katsu looked at the first question. Unlike Akira, she had no idea that the cryptogram was unsolvable without prior knowledge. She just stared blankly at the puzzle, frivolously trying to find some sort of pattern that she could follow. It was hopeless. She moved onto question two. Then, after a moment of thought, to question three and then four and then…

She realized she couldn't answer a single question on the test.

And that was most likely a problem. Katsu was smart. Maybe not as bright as Akira, but Katsu was regarded as rather intelligent. If she couldn't answer any questions on the test that made it rather likely that most others wouldn't either. This was truly a test to weed out the weak. She had to think of something.

'_Wait…_' she smiled with glee. '_Sharingan!_'

She remembered her special gift just in time. Akira sat a few rows in front of her and she was able to accurately mimic his arm movements so that she could copy his answers without being noticed. It might've been cheating, but Katsu was starting to think that was the purpose of the test. She needed to gather information like a "proud ninja." She couldn't get caught.

'_The answer to number two is eight,_' Shikawa thought in his head. It was a complicated mathematics problem, but not one that Shikawa noted was particularly difficult. He was sure Akira and Inoki had already managed to answer the question correctly, it had just been the matter of passing the answer off to Choya. '_I'm starting to really appreciate the psychic link. Eh, Choya?_'

'_Right,_' Choya nodded in compliance, never taking his eyes of the paper. '_How do you think the others are doing?_'

'…_not well,_' Shikawa frowned, shaking his head. He realized that Choya couldn't see him from where he was sitting and he ceased his movement. He couldn't afford to draw attention to himself, but he realized none of the Chunin watching could know about the squad's ability to share their thoughts. It was as if they all shared one brain and he now understood why his father cherished Mika's abilities. It made reconnaissance and stealth so much easier. Choya would've never passed without it.

Shikawa glanced over to Kiyoshi, making sure it was obvious to all the Chunin watching that he was merely looking around and "not cheating." He could see the boy panicking out of frustration.

Kiyoshi wasn't like Akira or Shikawa. He wasn't blessed with a high IQ and he had poor problem solving skills. Nor did he really have any jutsu or skills to help him out in this situation like Katsu's Sharingan. Even Choya was able to pass and receive information telepathically from his teammates thanks to Mika's jutsu. Kiyoshi was on his own, left to his own wit to pass the test. Though it was pretty clear to everyone watching him, that his wit was failing him.

'_I gotta get just one right!_' Kiyoshi screamed in his head. '_JUST ONE!_'

Kiyoshi put his pencil to the paper and gazed at question number ten. It was a math problem of some sort. He had never seen most of the symbols placed within nor did he even have any idea how to begin solving in.

He took a deep breath. He was going to have to cheat, but he wasn't quite sure how. He didn't possess the Byakugan or the Sharingan, nor did he have any reconnaissance-based techniques. Kiyoshi closed his eyes and leaned over slightly, but not enough to make it too noticeable. He was so close to cheating, so close to opening his eyes and glancing at his neighbor's paper. A kunai flew passed Kiyoshi's vision. He only saw one, but in truth, nine total kunai were thrown all at once, landing in front of nine different children, one of which was only a few seats away from the Leaf Genin.

"Numbers 3, 14, 29, 33, 55, 84 97, 103, 109…disqualified," one of the chunin said calmly, never rising from his seat. It was astonishing how nine people, in one fell swoop had been caught cheating enough times to warrant an ejection from the first test of the chunin exams.

In the midst of the confusion that ensued, no one noticed Shikawa's shadow. While the student's complained about how they were unjustly accused of cheating, the shadow navigated the maze of chairs before it stopped and connected to Kiyoshi's very own shadow. The child's hand moved on his own. He didn't know the answer to question two, but something willed him to place his hand on the paper and write down the single number eight on the blank space labeled "answer."

He had one answer. One answer was all he needed.

* * *

"Oy, Shikamaru!" a voice called from afar.

Shikamaru looked over to, seeing Choji just in the distance. The burly man no longer wore the garb of his youth. His clothes were now much more similar to that of Neji, wearing a red cloak over a long white kimono. His hair too was rather different, shorter than it once had been and was tied in a loose ponytail. It was certainly a look befitting of such an esteemed individual.

Shikamaru had never returned home after parting ways with his team earlier that morning. He had been far too worried, frightened for both his subordinates and his son. He just didn't think that they were ready for the dangers that would face them, specifically the treacherous creatures that lie in wait in the Forest of Death. For just a fleeting moment, Shikamaru hoped that his squad would actually fail the first test so that they could spend another year in preparation. He knew with just one more year of training, they would pull through.

"Hey, Choji!" Shikamaru said, forcing a laugh. He motioned for his comrade to move closer so that the two could talk. He was happy, almost overjoyed to see his friend after so long. Choji had spent weeks in the Sand, acting as an advocate for peace with the current Suna-Iwa conflict. When Shikamaru had traveled there weeks before, scheduling issues made it impossible for the sensei to see his old companion. It was nice to see him again, but Shikamaru wished it was under different circumstances. "You're back for the judging I guess?"

With the Chunin Exam finals taking place just a few weeks from then, ninja and spectators from all over would be converging on the walls of the Hidden Leaf to watch the spectacle that would be taking place. High-ranking officials like Choji would be required to judge the tournament, taking part in the final decision as to who would become Chunin.

Shikamaru had decided to sit near the lakeside of the Third Training Ground. It was comforting; the light breeze and the rushing water allowed for the Jonin to clear his mind in an otherwise troublesome time. He picked up a rock just as Choji took a seat beside him and tossed it out over the water. Like almost every other stone he had thrown, this particular rock sank directly to the bottom of the lake, never skipping once. Shikamaru had never been particularly good at this game, never managing to skip the stone more than a few times. Ironically, Choji could skip a stone clear to the other side.

"Yeah," he replied with a genuine smile. "Kakashi-sama called me back not too long ago. Are you alright?"

"Just worried about our kids…" he said honestly. "I'm sure they'll be fine, but…man what a drag."

Choji picked up the two smoothest stones he could fine, handing one to Shikamaru and keeping the other for himself. After a quick count of three, the duo both ejected their rocks over the water's surface. As could be expected, Shikamaru's stone took one hop before plummeting downward, while Choji's almost reached the riverbank on the opposite side.

"Just relax Shikamaru," Choji smiled, making a wrist-flicking motion. "It's all in the wrist."

"Did you just tell me to relax?" Shikamaru frowned, shaking his head. Shikamaru was always relaxing; it was his fatal flaw. Less so as he aged, but when he was younger, Shikamaru couldn't be bothered to even turn on a light switch. He was known as the genius with cloud envy. "I'm always relaxed."

"No…no you're not," Choji frowned, shaking his head. "You can pretend to be this laid back guy, but I've known you for almost thirty years Shikamaru. Guys like you and Kakashi, you're always stressed and on your toes. Even if you look like you're relaxed, you're always looking out for someone else. When we were younger you never stopped looking out for me or Ino. And now, you're doing the same thing for your team. Just because your body is relaxed, doesn't mean your brain isn't going a million miles a minute. I bet Shikawa is the same way."

"Maybe that's why our son's never became friends…" Shikamaru frowned, unsure of the source of his sadness. Shikawa and Choya had never really gotten along. That isn't to say that the two were enemies of any kind. Unlike Kiyoshi or Katsu, Choya was rather indifferent to the Nara and the two were civil with one another. If Shikawa had been a little friendlier, perhaps the two could've been great friends. However, in the child's current state, he made it difficult to make friends. He possessed his father's incredibly high IQ, while adopting his mother's stone cold personality. Those two traits were the perfect recipe for a rather introverted individual. Unlike his father who needed to find some form of motivation, Shikawa needed to relax and be a child.

"I'm sure Choya can crack that boy's shell," Choji smiled, skipping another stone. Shikamaru went to do the same, but instead chose to drop his rock back into the riverbank.

"He's just like his father and mother, he's nothing but fun." Shikamaru covered his mouth when he realized he brought up Choya's mother. Shizuka had fallen ill a few months back and had spent her time since then in the Leaf Village Hospital. Sakura had given her the best treatment possible, but no one seemed to be able to find the source of her illness, and, thus, they lacked the ability to effectively treat it. They didn't know how much time she had left. "Is she-"

"She's doing better," he responded, looking away from his comrade. "The pain has stopped, but Sakura hasn't been able to deduce much else. Besides that, her condition is pretty much the same… Listen, Shikawa is _your _son. I knew, as long as we were with you, we were safe. And I'm willing to bet Shikawa will be the same way. As long as he's around, everyone will be fine. Trust your son and trust your team."

Choji didn't want to talk anymore. He didn't want to leave his friend, but even the slightest mention of Shizuka mentally drained the man. He loved her far too much, and every day that went by decreased his wife's chances for survival. He wanted to go check on her again to see if her condition had changed in the last few hours. He knew he was going to make this trip to the hospital many more times throughout the coming weeks.

* * *

"Time," Kiba smiled. He motioned for the Chunin in the room to collect the test before continuing to speak.

Apparently, perfect scores of 30 would allow teams to automatically pass and be shuffled onward to the next round. As there was approximately room for 90 Genin in the second round, spaces would be awarded to the remaining teams, based on the remaining high scores. Squad twelve was just going to have to hope that a score of 21 was high enough to pass them onto the next round.

One-by-one the tests were examined for correct answers. It was an agonizing process for those worried about their scores. For Squad Fourteen who knew they were going on to the next round with a perfect score of 30, the time spent waiting was a minor annoyance. For Squad Twelve… it was an eternity.

"Shikawa Nara, Inoki Yamanaka, Choya Akimichi- you're free to go," Kiba smiled, giving the trio a thumbs up. "Report to the Forty-Forth Training Ground."

They weren't the only teams to go. Twenty-three other teams departed with perfect scores of thirty, only leaving enough room for six more teams to pass onto the next round. Kiyoshi couldn't help but be hopeful, but Akira was pretty sure that their score of 21 wasn't high enough. Before, he had activated his Byakugan to scan other's test scores. Most everyone had managed to answer at lest seven or eight questions, and even some tens. It was unlikely to think they had scored high enough as there were still a surprisingly amount of Genin in the room.

"Good luck," Shikawa whispered to Akira as he stood and exited the room. Akira responded with a smile, but it was clear to the Nara that he was worried.

"Two spaces left," Kiba smiled, rubbing his hands together. Akamaru lay down by his side, panting from the intense heat of the room. It was kept purposely above average temperature to keep the student's uncomfortable over the course of the Exam. Kiba was supposed to lower the temperature, but he had forgotten. He liked the heat. "Okay, now there's a catch, basically a penalty for not scoring a perfect 30."

"A catch?" one of the Cloud Genin up front asked, raising his hand to show his confusion.

"Yeah see, only two of you per team will move onto the next round. Whoever scored the lowest will be disqualified as his two teammates continue the exams on their own," Kiba shrugged, pausing to see the reaction of their students.

"WHAT?!" Katsu yelled, rising from her seat, looking over to Kiyoshi. She didn't want to leave him behind. The three were a team and it was unfair that he couldn't compete in the next round.

"Will you shut up!" Kiba yelled, showing his sharp canine teeth. Akamaru jumped to his feet and began to growth, slowly stalking forward towards Katsu. Kiba put his hand on the ninken's backside, and the dog's angry demeanor quickly receded. "I'm tired of you brats interrupting me. That third teammate, the one who doesn't move onto the next round, yeah see… he is barred from ever taking the Chunin Exams again. He'll be stuck as a Genin. However, all three of you could always pull out and try again in six months if you want."

This time Kiyoshi jumped to his feet to yell out in protest, but he caught himself, pulling back at just the last moment. He thought that was unfair and completely unreasonable. He didn't want to be stuck as a Genin, but he didn't want to fail the mission, or, more importantly, retard Katsu or Akira from achieving a higher rank. It was an almost impossible choice.

"We'll do it!" said the female Cloud Genin from before. She stood to her feet as her teammates did the same. The one who had scored the lowest protested vigorously, claiming that his comrade's actions were completely unfair; he felt they should wait another six months to try again. He didn't want to be a Genin for the remainder of his days. One-by-one Genin sold out their teammates, and Kiba informed them all to wait outside for further instructions.

Kiba asked one final time if there was anyone else who would be willing to discard a teammate and move onto the next round. There was only one spot left and it would go to the first buyer, no questions asked. There was a moment of awkward silence as Kiyoshi and others in his situation hoped that their teammates wouldn't rise and sell them out. Akira stood, raising his hand. For a fleeting moment, Kiyoshi and Katsu panicked. That was when Akira slammed his fist down on the table, commanding the attention of every Genin and Chunin in the room. He wanted them to look into his eyes and see the stern expression on his face.

"My name is Akira Uzumaki," he said, pointing to himself with his right thumb. "And I will never sell out my friends! Shinobi who abandon their comrades are trash and all of those teams that 'passed' onto the next round by abandoning a teammate should be stripped of their status as Genin because they are TRASH!"

"Enough!" Kiba yelled, throwing out his arms. "Enough of your outbursts and enough of your disrespect. Is there anyone that shares this troublemaker's ideals? Speak up now so I can flunk you too!"

A single shinobi just to the right of Akira stood up and placed a hand on the boys shoulder. He was just a few years older, possessing short, brown hair that wrapped around the sides of his face. His outfit was rather simple, wearing only a plain, low-cut white t-shirt and long black pants. On his back there was a large scroll, similar to the size and weight of the Scroll of Seals. His headband possessed the Rain Village insignia.

"I'm in agreement," the boy nodded, tightening his grip on Akira's shoulder. "If this is how the Leaf Village treats their comrades then I want no part in this."

"That's what you think?!" Kiba yelled again, taking a step forward. "If you think that people who abandon their comrades are nothing more than trash then… you pass."

* * *

Omake Number 3

**Kiyoshi**: So what just happened?

**Katsu**: We moved onto the next round. Duh.

**Kiyoshi**: But…how? I mean… we only scored a 21.

**Akira**: I don't know, maybe they'll explain everything in the next chapter. The narrator is pretty good at explaining things

**Kiyoshi**: …okay. Kinda confused, but I guess that works.

**Akira**: So, anyway, topic of the day is Kiba Inuzuka, a Jonin from the Hidden Leaf Village.

**Kiyoshi**: He doesn't look so tough.

**Katsu**: Oh, but he is. Kiba is second in command of the Leaf Villages fabled Inuzuka Clan, behind only his mother, Tsume Inuzuka. They exclusively use ninken and techniques that revolve around their dangerous pets. Kiba's ninken is named Akamaru, and the dog is the most loyal companion Kiba could ask for. They were brought together at birth, and raised to be best friends.

**Kiyoshi**: If you ask me, that's kind of…

**Katsu**: Sad?

**Kiyoshi**: I was going to say creepy, but sad works too.

**Katsu**: It appears that way, but Kiba and Akamaru's senses and thoughts are so intertwined, the two can preform complex strategies and jutsus without ever speaking a word to one another. The duo is not to be treated lightly.

**Akira**: Exactly, alongside Shikamaru, and Neji, and Rock Lee- Kiba is one of the strongest ninja the Leaf Village has to offer. I'm hoping he'll help me teach the puppies how to speak or maybe even use ninjutsu!

**Kiyoshi**: Well he and his dog kinda smell.

**Kiba**: Kind of…smell?

**Katsu**: Ack! Kiba-sensei? How do people keep getting into the studio? Security!

**Kiba**: I'll show you who smells; right Akamaru? Try this!

**Akira**: Oh no! Get back!

**Kiba**: Wolf Fang Over Fang!


	11. Chapter Eleven: The Forest of Death

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter 11- The Forest of Death: The Search for a Heaven Scroll

"We…pass?" Katsu asked in disbelief, her eyes wide and filled with confusion.

Just moments before, Squad Twelve was facing disqualification because of their refusal to comply with the rules Kiba had laid out before them. All of a sudden the roles had switched, and it appeared as though Squad Twelve, along with one other squad from the Mist Village, would be the only two squads moving forward to the next round that hadn't received perfect scores.

"See, the last proctor of this exam was a master interrogator," Kiba began, raising a single finger. "He could make even the strongest of Jonin crack, forcing them to reveal any information he wanted. So, of course Genin had quite a difficult time moving onto the next round once he was through with them. See, I'm not like Ibiki- I'm a fighter, not a strategist and, to be completely honest, I couldn't answer most of the questions on the test myself. So, I figured, if you could, or you could at least cheat without getting caught, you have every right to move onto the next round."

A Genin should never have been able to answer all of the questions right on the exam they had been given. He had set up Chunin, dispersed within the Genin, already in possession of the correct answers. Students with the correct set of skills should've been easily able to procure the answers to the ten-question test, and Kiba felt that a Genin who employed enough stealth and couth to evade the constant gaze of twenty Chunin and a Jonin should be able to move onto the next round.

"So…we had to cheat?" Akira frowned, shaking his head.

"Well, you didn't have to cheat," Kiba shrugged. "It's actually more impressive if you were able to answer the ten questions on your own. God knows Akamaru and I cheated when I took the exam. Isn't that right boy? Anyway, I know that some people just don't have the skill to cheat on this kind of exam, nor the intelligence to do it on their own. So, I gave them a way out- to pass onto the next round. As a ninja, you'll be given choices. Some will be tougher than others, but you can never just sit around and do nothing. You will need a decision and you will need to take actions. Some of you will do things that will put your partners in danger for the sake of the mission, and sometimes that will be necessary. You'll need to trust them, believe that they can get the job done. However, there's a difference between trusting your teammate, and downright throwing them to the wolves as a sacrifice. If you chose to benefit from your comrade's suffering, you're no better than worthless trash."

Kiyoshi stood up from his chair raising both hands high above his head in triumph and exaltation. He had never felt so relieved in his life that and he wanted nothing more than to shout to the sky that he was on his way to becoming a Chunin. However, if there was anything he learned from this exam, it was the Kiba didn't like to be interrupted. Apparently Katsu didn't care.

"WE PASS!" she shouted, throwing her paper into the air with a cheer.

* * *

The Forty-Fourth Training Ground, better known throughout the Five Great Nations as the Forest of Death, had claimed more young Genin than any other obstacle of the Chunin Exams. Even the treacherous deserts of Sunagakure had a death toll that failed in comparison to the hundreds of children lost within the deep woods of the Forty-Fourth Training Ground. The Forest of Death was a large, open stretch of land about 10 kilometers in diameter, surrounded by a sturdy metal fence with barbed wire strewn about the top. Scattered about at predetermined integrals, were 44 separate metal gates so that Genin who could not stomach the atrocities within the fenced walls could leave at almost anytime. From the outside, it was almost impossible to see because of the foliage, there is a large brick tower in the direct center of the compound. Few Genin would never live to see the impressive structure that towered over even the tallest of trees within the forest that sometimes measured over a hundred feet tall.

"Alright," Tenten said with a huff. "Those are the rules, any questions?"

The rules were simple enough. Each of the remaining 26 teams would be given a scroll, be it heaven or earth. The heaven scroll was a light tan, bordering the color of white with the kanji for _heaven_ written in the middle. The Earth Scroll was a deep and dark blue color imprinted with the kanji for _earth_ in the center with black ink. Within five days, Genin were expected to procure both a Heaven and an Earth Scroll and travel to the large tower in the center of the forest. Anyone who failed to do so, or dared open the scrolls before being told to, would fail and be forced to wait another six months before participating in the next Chunin Exams.

No one said anything, so she had the teams line up so that scrolls could be evenly distributed. It was oddly quiet, and Akira took the time to ponder the parameters of the exam. If what Tenten said were true, thirteen teams would be given a Heaven Scroll and, the other thirteen, the Earth Scroll. If that were the case, at least half of all the teams would be disqualified by the end of this round of the exams..

"Akira…Uzumaki right?" said someone from just behind the young Genin. He turned to see the older boy from the Hidden Mist Village holding his hand up almost as if to wave "hi." He was smiling with his eyes closed and Akira could tell by his demeanor that he meant no harm.

"Yeah, how did you…" he began to say, but the boy interrupted him.

"Know your name? You practically shouted it right in my ear earlier. I figured I'd just introduce myself. Swordsman of the Hidden Mist _in training_ Isao Date," he smiled, extending his hand to shake. Akira hesitated for a moment. Everything up to that moment had taught him to be skeptical of those around him, and to always try to find out an individual's ulterior motives. However, in the last few days, Akira had made it his goal to be more like Kiyoshi, light-hearted and friendly. Besides there was just something about Isao that made Akira drop his guard. He couldn't tell if it was his soft smile or his kind eyes, but the normally tense Akira took the Mist Ninja's hand and the two exchanged a friendly handshake. "Are you alright? Your hand is… trembling."

Akira drew back his arm as quickly as he had given it just moments before. He turned away to hide his face and took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't understand why he was getting so flustered. Was he under some sort of Genjutsu? Was this all just some sort of trick? Why was his head getting warm and why wouldn't his hands stop shaking?

"Um… uh… ya see… I'm fine!" Akira stuttered, finding it difficult to formulate the words in his throat.

"Alright," Isao smiled again. The boy pointed to something behind Akira, and the Genin spun around to see both Kiyoshi and Katsu with an Earth Scroll in hand. Akira went to turn around once more, but Isoa had already started to walk back to the rest of his team. Akira wanted to call out to him, to thank him for standing by him in the previous exam. However, he thought against it, realizing that soon the two would be enemies.

"What was that about?" Katsu asked, annoyed that her teammate was fraternizing with the enemy. After the difficultly of the last exam, she didn't want anything standing in their way of safely traversing through the Forest of Death. Of course, she wouldn't spurn the idea of gaining an ally, but, unlike Akira, she wasn't going to drop her guard for a second.

"He was just so…handsome," Akira said, again finding it difficult to enunciate his words. His face again turned red, and he tried to bury his blushing cheeks into his jacket collar so that the others wouldn't see his expression. He knew Katsu was right, he couldn't allow himself to be taken by a pretty face.

Though, he was a Mist Swordsman in training. How devious could he really be?

* * *

"Long time no see," Suigetsu shrugged, taking a nice long sigh.

"Thank you for coming…my friend," said the hooded figure in return.

Suigetsu Hozuki was a short man, much shorter than his comrade who stood just a few meters away. His hair was ghastly white in color, but possessed a strange bluish hue around the edges and he had dark purple eyes that appeared similar to the all powerful Rinnegan in appearance. Unlike most shinobi his age, Suigetsu's outfit was virtually unchanged from that of his childhood counterpart, wearing only a purple, sleeveless shirt and grayed pants that fell to his lower-mid calf. Like all Mist Swordsman, Suigetsu possessed sharp, shark-like teeth. He wore a single brown band across his chest that allowed him to wear the Kubikiribōchō, the Mist Sword that Suigetsu had been trusted to wield and carry. Around his waist, in a similar fashion to that of Rock Lee and Might Guy, Suigetsu wore the Mist Headband, proudly showing off his loyalty to Kirigakure.

Long ago, Suigetsu had shrugged off his loyalties to the Mist and sought power through Orochimaru's teachings after the death of his brother Mengetsu. Desperate for any sense of direction, Suigetsu felt the Sannin would assist the boy in achieving his goal- the attainment of all Seven Mist Swords in an attempt to rebuild the group with him as their leader. Of course, the snake had no intention of allowing Suigetsu to complete his ambitious endeavor and instead experimented on the young boy, in an attempt to attain the Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique. It was only years later, when Orochimaru was "killed" by Sasuke that Suigetsu was able to return to his previous aspirations. Again, however, the boy's own goals were put on hold until after the Fourth Shinobi World War, when, together with Chojuro, Suigetsu was able to rebuild the Seven Swordsman of the Mist. No longer were they devious assassins without a code. They were respected, far and wide, as the protectors of the Mizukage, and heroes of the Hidden Mist.

"Can we make this quick?" Suigetsu asked, glancing around to see if he had been followed. "I'd rather not be seen with a fugitive."

Sasuke removed his hood and extended his hand, which Suigetsu took half-heartedly. He had made such a good life for himself. If anyone from the Mist saw him with a fugitive with such a high bounty in the Bingo Book, his reputation would've been ruined. There would've been no trial, and Suigetsu would be forced to flee the village once more. And this time… there would be no second chances. Still, he wouldn't allow Sasuke to know he was nervous.

"Of course," Sasuke responded. "I'll keep this short. Is your mole in place?"

"Relax will you?" Suigetsu shrugged. "This kid's in the Chunin Exams. Everything will turn out fine."

"For our sake it better," Sasuke remarked, looking away from his companion. "No one else was able to send anyone else in. Apparently your little protégé is our only man on the inside. I can only hope he is as strong as you say."

If there was one thing Suigetsu wasn't concerned with, it was his protégé. There were many things that could go wrong with their operation. There were so many holes and obvious rifts in this "plan" of Sasuke's that Suigetsu didn't know how everything was going to turn out. However, in regards to his man on the inside, Suigetsu was confident in his abilities. What he lacked in brute strength, the child made up for in tactical prowess and ingenuity. He would get the job done, Sasuke needn't worry about that.

"So Taiki and Nori couldn't send anyone else in? And… what's that girl's name from the Cloud that agreed to join us… Maruni…Mabuni? Think you could put in a good word for me? She's rather-" Suigetsu began, but he was paused by a look of dissatisfaction on Sasuke's face. He clearly wasn't amused.

"You're…unbearable," Sasuke shook his head. The Leaf Shinobi turned to leave, but glanced back at Suigetsu before something else crept into the back of his mind. "At the Kage Summit, the soon-to-be-appointed Otokage, what do you make of him?"

"Right now, like the others, he stands in our way," Suigetsu answered truthfully. "But soon… very soon, he'll make a valuable ally."

Suigetsu smiled back at his companion. It was nice to be his own man. He no longer had to follow Sasuke's orders nor did he have the constant fear of Orochimaru still looming just behind his back. It felt good, almost felt like a relief, to help Sasuke now. However, it wasn't as a minion or some sort of second rate laky, but as a favor to a close and personal friend. It was a new experience that Suigetsu relished, despite the dangers that he knew lie in wait.

Suigetsu extended his hand when something cold touched the Mist ninja's backside. Sasuke's eyes grew wide with terror and the former Leaf Ninja disappeared as quickly as he had come. Suigetsu knew better to turn around, and instead remained perfectly still with the flat side of the blade pressed up against his backside. He had known the feeling well as he had felt the blade over many times before. The long and slender, fish-shaped blade only had one wielder, and Suigetsu felt his heart sink. It was the Hiramekarei.

"Suigetsu Hozuka, you are under arrest for conspiring with the enemy," Chojuro's voice rang in Suigetsu's ear. "Please… just…come quietly.

Suigetsu could hear the tension in Chojuro's words. It must not have been a pleasant experience, finding your friend conspiring with a known enemy of the Five Great Nations. Over the past twenty years, the two men had become quite good friends. It was a very painful impasse for the two of them.

"Chojuro put down your weapon," Suigetsu demanded, placing his hand on the hilt of the Kubikiribōchō that hung from his back. Chojuro knew he couldn't wait any longer. If Suigetsu wasn't going to surrender, the master of the Hiramekarei was going to have to treat his comrade as hostile and would have to take him down just as he would any other enemy of the Mist. It wasn't going to be a pleasant battle.

"I'm sorry… my friend," Chojuro shook his head, disgusted with the battle he knew would soon unfold. Chojuro gripped the blade tightly in each hand and turned it sideways so the sharp edges were pointed up against Suigetsu's clothing.

"Chojuro!" Suigetsu screamed, unsheathing Kubikiribōchō.

* * *

"What's the plan?" Kiyoshi asked, putting his hand on Akira's shoulder.

It was quite possibly the most sensible question Kiyoshi could've asked. Most of the ninja that had passed the first round had gotten a perfect score of thirty on the written exam. With such a difficult test at their back, Squad Twelve was assured that only the best-of-the-best managed to break through to the next round. Even Kiyoshi knew that they weren't going to be able to out brawn any of the opposing teams. They were going to have to play smart.

"We find Shikawa," Katsu interjected before Akira had a chance to answer. As much as she disliked Inoki and Shikawa, joining forces with Squad Fourteen seemed to indicate their best chance of success. Alone, she didn't find the trio capable of defeating any of the competition. Katsu felt it was in their best interest to increase their numbers and work together to procure whatever scrolls the two teams needed. The mission was in jeopardy; she didn't mind making a few sacrifices to do the Leaf Village proud.

"I disagree, I think our best chance of survival is to get to the center of the forest and wait it out there," Akira argued. Like Katsu, Akira's plan was rather sound. Without clear knowledge of which teams possessed which scroll, Squad Twelve could wait by the tower, lying in ambush. When another squad came their way, equipped with both scrolls in hand, the trio could completely surprise their opponents to gain the advantage. "In case you haven't realized, we can't exactly let out a distress flair for Shikawa to find us."

Kiyoshi frowned. He wasn't too thrilled on having to team up with Shikawa, but he realized he wasn't the "thinker" on the team. If the others could come up with a coherent strategy that they both agreed on, he didn't find it his place to argue. To him, both plans seemed rather sound, and, even though he disliked Shikawa, he wouldn't mind the extra helping hand.

Katsu didn't respond. Instead she let a sly smile creep across her face before biting down on her finger, just hard enough to draw blood. She took a deep breath, and placed her hand firmly on the ground before releasing a large amount of chakra from her hand. After witnessing the puff of smoke they had all grown accustomed to, Katsu's three summons sat wagging their tails just a few meters away. She then pulled out a small bit of clothing from her kunai holster and held it up to Konjou's nose. After the pup took a deep whiff of the fabric, she then passed it on to Yuuki and, finally, Takeshi.

"Choya and I already thought of that," Katsu remarked, giving her teammate a sly shrug. "But I guess a dobe like you doesn't know how to think ahead."

Akira felt the sting of Katus's insult, but decided not to give Katsu the satisfaction by responding to her harsh words. He wanted to argue, to explain that wondering aimlessly to look for Squad Fourteen was a death sentence. However, before he could get a word out, Kiyoshi and Katsu had already made their way up the closest tree trunk, wavering for Akira to do the same.

"Are you coming Aki-san?" Kiyoshi questioned, noticing that his teammate had still remained flatfooted and seemed to show no indication that he was going to move any time soon.

"I... still don't know how to climb trees," came his truthful response. The shinobi hung his head to hide the shameful expression that was plastered across his face. Katsu couldn't bear it. Her laughter literally shook the tree on which Katsu and Kiyoshi stood. She was so amused; she almost fell off the branch, tumbling to the floor below. Luckily Kiyoshi was there to steady her. "It's not my... Neji-sensei says I don't have the knack for chakra control. He says it's in my genes."

Kiyoshi rationalized that there was some truth to Akira's claim. Shikamaru had explained to Kiyoshi that his mother was adept in controlling the ebb and flow of chakra, making her the first of her class to climb trees and walk on water. She also utilized her chakra-charged, fists in combat to decimate her enemies. Likewise, Kiyoshi's father, while unable to utilize chakra in the form of jutsu, was also adept at chakra control. The weights Kiyoshi wore, which were gaining in weight everyday, had to be offset with chakra. By forcing chakra to his joins, Kiyoshi was able to make the training weights seem weightless, teaching him how to accurately control his chakra, a tactic that his father had previously utilized in his younger years. It was no wonder the boy already possessed the skill to seamlessly walk on the water's surface just after a few weeks of training.

Kiyoshi extended his hand, allowing for Akira to use his momentum to propel himself up the side of the tree. Just as his forward momentum was about to fail, Akira clasped onto Kiyoshi's wrist, and the boy helped his teammate onto the nearest branch.

"Thanks," Akira nodded, giving Kiyoshi a smile.

"We're teammates; it's what we do," he responded.

"Speak for yourself," Katsu scoffed, trying her best to stifle her giggling. "You really are a dobe."

Akira lowered his head, refusing to look up at the Uchiha. He was not dead last. He was an achiever, a survivor. He thought he was stronger than the other two, Kurama made it so, but this scum, this idiot, mocked him at every turn. He was tired of her constant jeer. So what if he had poor chakra control; he was stronger than them, faster than them, and smarter than them.

"Enough," Akira whispered, his fists shaking in anger.

"What, strike a chord?" Katsu shrugged in response. "Man, for such an emotionless guy you're showing all kinds of feelings today aren't you?"

"Shut up!" Akira yelled again, the whiskers on the side of his face flared slightly as he continued. "No more jokes! I'm done with you!"

"Aki-san, calm down," Kiyoshi panicked, placing his hand on Akira's shoulder. The Genin recoiled at Kiyoshi's touch, jumping to another tree branch that was just slightly away.

"He's right ya' know. Put your claws away before you get hurt," Katsu shooed.

Akira didn't plan on playing with claws. He drew one of his katana from its sheath, and held it in front of his face with both hands. When Katsu didn't back down, Akira took it as an invitation to strike. He leapt off the tree branch, weapon drawn and ready for combat. Katsu responded very much the same way, jumping forward with her kunai in hand.

"First Gate: open!" Kiyoshi exclaimed, thrusting both arms down to either side. He wasn't going to allow blood to be shed among his teammates. He had resolved before the Chunin Exams, that he was going to stop crying, to stop being a burden to his teammates and there was far too much at stake for a petty argument to tare them apart. He was tired of feeling useless, and he was going to prove his might- right here and right now!

He leapt forward, using his increased speed opening the first gate warranted, to tackle Akira midflight, taking the slash of Katsu's kunai to his backside. The two tumbled to the forest floor below, hitting the harsh and unforgiving ground. The kunai had barely nicked Kiyoshi, only managed to tear his brand new jacket. It was a small price to pay to keep unity among the ranks.

Katsu took a step back; a horrified look was painted across her face when she realized the damage that she could've done to her teammate and friend. Kiyoshi assured her that he was fine, but she took of his jacket to check for blood just to be sure. Akira didn't have the same reaction. He still felt angry, and, being tackled out of the air didn't do anything to quell that rage. He sheathed his sword, gave his teammates another look, and took off through the woods. Katsu went to rush after him, but Kiyoshi grabbed her arm to stop her.

"No," he frowned. "You've done enough."

"At least take Konjou. He'll help you keep up with Akira," she shook her head. Kiyoshi nodded, looking for something of Akira's that he kept on his person. However, that appeared to be completely unnecessary. Despite asking for Konjou's assistance, Yuuki took off in Akira's direction, rushing through the foliage. "I trained each of the dogs to recognize our scents, Yuuki knows Akira's. Konjou has yours, and Takeshi can smell me from miles away."

Kiyoshi nodded just before sprinting to keep up with the excited dog. It was a useful skill to remember that each dog could potentially locate one of the members of our team. In addition to their ability to use basic elemental ninjutsu, Katsu's summons were growing in usefulness. Unlike Kiyoshi's summon, Ninoga, who just sat around all day.

Kiyoshi called out for his comrade as Yuuki did the same, letting out a few yelps for Akira. They had to catch up to him soon; who knew what dangers lie in wait for them just around the corner? Luckily, Akira didn't make it very far before he broke down in tears. He looked so defeated, holding steadfast to the large oak tree that sat in front of him. Kiyoshi felt it best not to say anything. He knew better than anyone that sometimes it was best to just have a good cry.

"You and I are the same," Akira quivered, rubbing both of his eyes with his sleeve. "We were below average in everything we did. Every goal we set, someone would achieve them faster and with higher marks."

"That was along time ago," Kiyoshi frowned, trying to push away the terrible memories of the ninja academy, wherein Shikawa, and most of the other children, used to torment for his pathetic performances in ninjutsu and taijutsu. "But... Aki-san..."

"Let me finish," Akira said, turning so that Kiyoshi could see his reddened faced and agitated eyes. "But Katsu... everyone liked her. She was just so 'perfect.' Ninjutsu... taijutsu... genjutsu... nothing was outside the realm of possibility when it came to her. But you, for the longest time you couldn't use ninjutsu, had no aptitude for formulating tactics, and you were about as stealthy as an ox. I was terrible with ninjutsu, and my taijutsu was subpar compared with those around me. I was a failure."

"Come on, Aki-san," Kiyoshi said, trying to smile. He extended a friendly hand in hopes that Akira would take the bait and come back with him. "Now's not the time to-"

"What's the point?" Akira screamed, slamming his fist on the tree trunk on which he had just previously clung to. "How do you keep fighting when everything just comes so easy to them? We have to work so hard when people like Katsu or Shikawa are just born with so much raw natural talent? How do you compete with the geniuses?"

Kiyoshi shook his head and let out a long, deep sigh. He had been down this road countless times, questioning his resolve. However, he had recently come to an answer, but he didn't think it would help Akira. His reason to continue training was rather person specific.

"Well... I keep trying to get harder to help you guys," Kiyoshi replied honestly, rubbing the back of his neck out of embarrassment. "I keep messing things up and, well I figured, if I could just... not screw up long enough... you two can become Chunin like you want. Then the whole village will stop looking down on you and Katsu. See, cause you think you're like me, but really you're like Katsu. You want to be recognized for your own skill, not held accountable for your parent's actions. I think she's hard on you because, well, she knows you two have a lot to work towards. She really cares about you."

"Not as much as you care about her," Akira remarked, trying to make himself laugh. Kiyoshi's face instinctively turned red, but just as he was about to argue, a loud howl rang through the trees. The hair on Kiyoshi's neck stood on end, and tiny dog at Kiyoshi's feet began to yelp and bark.

"Katsu!" Kiyoshi screamed as the trio made their way back from whence they came.

"Who has the scroll?" Akira panicked, pushing a few tree branches out of the way so that he could pick up speed.

"Forget the scroll!" Kiyoshi yelled back.

They couldn't run fast enough. Every second that passed by seemed like an eternity in Kiyoshi's mind. He knew the team shouldn't have split up, but that was irrelevant at their current juncture. He had to get to her before she was hurt; he promised himself and he promised Kakashi-sama that he would keep Katsu and Akira out of harms way.

"Katsu!" Kiyoshi shouted, once he could hear the sounds of battle.

Akira looked over to his comrade; Kiyoshi was clearly seething with anger. The young Uzumaki could not understand the other's rage. One minute, Kiyoshi had been calm and collected. It took only a mere second for his docile attitude to transform into blind rage. A ninja was supposed to remain calm in the face of danger, a rule that Akira exemplified quite nicely. His emotional outbursts were few and far in between, even in adversity. He felt it was the best chance for survival. The young ninja couldn't quite understand why Kiyoshi flew off the handle all the time.

"Stop yelling," Akira scolded. "You'll give away our position.

Kiyoshi didn't respond.

They came to a clearing in the middle of the woods as Yuuki disappeared in a puff of smoke, indicating that Katsu had just recently lost consciousness. Sure enough, resting unconscious in the center of the glade was a collapsed Katsu. From their viewpoint, Katsu appeared to be breathing and any injuries she had sustained seemed minimal with no blood of any kind in sight. However, they had to get closer to be sure.

That posed a problem. Standing over Katsu was a young man dressed in a black, hooded shirt that shrouded most of his face in shadow. However, Kiyoshi could just make out his dark black hair and brown eyes through the few rays of light that broke through. His pants were a light gray, and Kiyoshi could distinctly make out the Otogakure 'sound' symbol on the headband tied around his left thigh.

While Kiyoshi was blind with rage, Akira instantly activated the Byakkugan to search the surroundings. He could sense two entities in the distance, however, one was lying stagnant on the forest ground. The other appeared to be using some sort of healing jutsu to heal the unconscious teammate, but Akira couldn't be sure. As far as he could tell, there weren't any tripwires or traps set up in the vicinity, but, if Shikamaru had taught him anything, there were just some things that even the Byakugan couldn't see. Even though he couldn't see anything, the whole situation still felt rather... fishy. With the Sharingan, no single ninja should've been able to take down Katsu so quickly. If this Genin's teammates were indisposed, that must've meant he possessed immeasurable power. He planned to remain on guard.

"The girl for your scroll," the Otogakure ninja remarked, making the first move.

Kiyoshi didn't hesitate, reaching into his pants pocket to retrieve the scroll imprinted with the kanji for Earth. Just as he was about to toss it, Akira grabbed onto his arm to pause him for a moment. Akira wasn't ready to just hand over their ticket to the next round. Even if they were going to lose, Akira didn't want to go down without a fight. He pulled one of the katana off of his backside and held the blade pointing to their foe.

"Who are you?" Akira asked, taking a bold step forward.

"Don't you know it's impolite to ask for another's name before first giving your own?" the boy scoffed. "I guess that's typical of Leaf trash- no manners. The name is Kensho."

"Listen Kensho, if you think we're handing over our scroll you're a moron! Kiyoshi, I'll take care of this guy!" Akira shouted, rushing forward. The Sound ninja pulled a kunai from his pocket, tossing it toward Akira before taking off into the trees. Akira narrowly managed to block the oncoming projectile with his sword, but, with the threat gone, he decided it best not to pursue.

"Go!" Kiyoshi commanded, pointing towards the direction their foe had fled. "Take him down!"

Akira nodded as he didn't dare argue with Kiyoshi any longer. The younger Uzumaki had never quite seen his teammate lose his temper. He had seen him annoyed, but never had he seen Kiyoshi's anger raise to this sort of intensity. Akira knew had had to take this guy down for Kiyoshi. Even if he didn't particularly like Katsu, he had to do it for Kiyoshi, no matter what the cost.

Kiyoshi took the chance to run to Katsu's aid, kneeling beside her. He immediately began searching her for any signs of bruising or cuts, but he couldn't find any. Katsu seemed perfectly fine except for the fact she wouldn't wake. He used his thumb and index finger to pry one of her eyes open, but he was immediately thrown into a state of confusion. Katsu's eyes, when her Sharingan weren't activated, were completely black. Like the Hyuga clan's Byakugan, the Uchiha clan had black, almost soulless eyes. This Katsu had distinct green pupils.

Katsu's other eye shot open, staring directly into Kiyoshi's eyes. After a short moment, the kunoichi's mouth opened wide as well, emitting a deep purple cloud of smoke. Kiyoshi couldn't help but to involuntarily gasp, accidentally inhaling a large amount of the smog. He panicked, pulling backwards and scrambling to his feet. He tried to ask what was going on, but the shock quickly gave way to an uncontrollable cough. Katsu stood. Only, she didn't resemble Katsu anymore. The illusion wore off, allowing Kiyoshi to see her for what she really was. With long black hair, and pale skin, she was almost a dead match for Katsu, even without the transformation jutsu. However, her outfit no longer appeared to match that of Kiyoshi's teammate. Like Kensho, the girl wore a hooded jacket, but she kept the hood down so that Kiyoshi could get a better look at her. The inside of the hood was made of some sort of fleece-like material.

"It's poison you know?" she shrugged, slowly walking to Kiyoshi's side. "It slowly creeps into your blood stream, attacking each organ individually. It's a painful process and it takes roughly ten minutes before your body shuts down and movement becomes impossible. It takes another ten or so minutes after that for the sweet silence of death to come."

Kiyoshi coughed again, this time more violently before. He tried to take a step forward, falling to one knee due to a strange feeling of disorientation that overcame him. He tried to stand, but his vision started to blur all at once.

"Where... is Katsu?" Kiyoshi managed to retaliate, struggling to his feet. It took everything in his power to steady himself with the strange feelings of uneasiness that overcame him.

"Hmm," she smiled, drawing a few senbon from a pouch at her side. "It's amazing your still standing. Right about now your vision should be impaired and the poison should start seeping into your brain. In only a few minutes, it should find the central nervous system, messing with your pain receptors to make your body believe it is in immeasurable torture. If you want to find your friend, you better go soon."

Kiyoshi put one hand forward, taking a deep breath to find his center of balance. Fighting back every urge to cough, Kiyoshi managed to take the Iron-First fighting stance. If he only had a few minutes, Kiyoshi planned to enjoy every minute of it taking this girl down.

"May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?" she asked, folding her arms.

"Heh," Kiyoshi tried to laugh. "Don't you know it's impolite to-"

"Don't play coy with me!" she screamed, throwing a single senbon in Kiyoshi's direction. While the latitude of the throw was spot on, it was the longitude that Kiyoshi found rather strange as the projectile soared high above his head. Just as he was about to chastise the female for her terrible aim, the girl made a hand seal and exclaimed the words "Metal Rain Jutsu."

The senbon's forward momentum ceased in midair. Rather than floating in place, the projectile fell, aimed directly at Kiyoshi's skull. With the single threat clearly in view, Kiyoshi was easily able to sidestep the weapon as it stuck into the ground. He was about to rush forward to hopefully close the gap between himself and his opponent, however something nicked his right arm. His initial reaction was to cover his wound, but then another pain rang in his left and then another and another. Before long, Kiyoshi realized senbon were raining from the sky and the young Genin did the only thing he could think to do to deflect the oncoming attack.

"Gate of Opening: open!" he exclaimed, thrusting down each of his arms to open the first gate. The release of energy completely deflected the senbon, sending them sprawling out into the ground around him. The Genin rushed forward, intent on closing the gap between him and his opponent, but the Otogakure Ninja threw a surprise punch that caught Kiyoshi off guard. Still, with his increased speed and agility, he was able to block the blow with his upper arm. He was about to retaliate with a powerful upwards kick, but a loud, high-pitched noise resonated within the Leaf Genin's ears. He panicked, trying desperately to cover his head and stop the terrible screech, giving the Sound Ninja the perfect opportunity to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick in retaliation. The kick proved strong enough to send Kiyoshi sprawling backwards quite a few meters.

"Like it?" the ninja shrugged, lowering the sleeves of her jacket so that Kiyoshi could see the strange piece of machinery attached to her upper arm. "This gauntlet emits a high-pitched noise to anyone within its range; standard Otogakure equipment. And you my friend have about… oh two minutes. I wonder how your teammates are doing. That girl… what did you call her… Katsu? She went down so easily. The sound waves from our weapons were enough to do her in quite nicely She kept crying out for help, but no one came. It was all rather pathetic."

Kiyoshi stood up, tightening his hand into a fist.

"Two minutes?" he winced, holding his side. "That's one more than I'll need."

"You insolent little-" she rushed forward with another few senbon in hand.

At that point, Kiyoshi was no longer listening to his opponent. He had only used this technique once before, while Guy-sensei was watching him train. As when opening the first gate, Kiyoshi raised both arms and took a deep breathe. All at once, the young shinobi thrust his hands down to his sides, releasing another wave of energy that completely paused his opponent's forward momentum.

"Second Gate, the Gate of Healing: open!" Kiyoshi screamed, increasing his speed and stamina once more. Within a blink of an eye, Kiyoshi appeared in front of his adversary, delivering a kick that launched her high into the air. Using a nearby tree trunk, Kiyoshi followed suit, launching himself into the sky while simultaneously using his momentum to spin wildly, delivering a spectacular spinning, midair, head-butt to the Sound Ninja's stomach. Just as the two were about to begin their decent back to earth, he flipped out from under her, and delivered a decisive downwards kick that connected with her midsection. With a gasp, the kunoichi plummeted down to the ground below.

"Leaf Burning Sky," Kiyoshi exclaimed, barely managing to land on his feet. He tried to make his way over to the unconscious shinobi to search her for a scroll, but his vision once again became distorted. A single misstep, forced Kiyoshi down to his knees, grasping wildly for air. He coughed once more, using his hand to cover his mouth. When he pulled his hand away, he could see that it was covered in a deep red, sticky liquid. He tried to stand once more, but his legs gave way.

* * *

Omake

**Shikawa**: Hi, today we're going to talk about the Swordsmen of the Mist.

**Choya**: Don't Kiyoshi and his gang normally do these things?

**Inoki**: They're currently indisposed.

**Shikawa**: Right. Anyway, the Swordsmen of the Mist were an elite squad of assassins that answered directly to the Mizukage.

**Choya**: Sort of like the ANBU?

**Shikawa**: Right, only sometime in the past the swordsmen lost their way. For a string of about fifty years or so, they began operating as mercenaries for hire, working for whomever would foot the bill.

**Choya**: So, they were the bad guys for a while?

**Shikawa**: More or less. However, now the Swordsmen of the Mist have begun acting as the Mizukage's personal guard. The most prominent members of the guard are Suigetsu and Chojuro, the wielder of the Kubikiribōchō, the Mist's Executioner's Blade, and the wielder of the Kiramekarei, the Mist's Twinsword, respectively. There are seven blades in total.

**Inoki**: The Samehada, the Nuubari, the Kabutowari, the Shibuki, and the Kiba are the others.

**Choya**: Well that's cool and all, but what about Isao, that guy who claims to be a Mist Swordsmen _in training_.

**Shikawa**: That's easily explained as the swords are passed down from generation to generation. Isao Date happens to be the start of the next generation and functions as Chojuro's replacement as the newest wielder of the Kiramekarei.

**Choya**: He doesn't look so tough and from what I hear, Akira has a crush on him.

**Shikawa**: R-really?

**Akira**: You don't say?

**Choya**: How did you get in here? We thought you were in trouble?

**Kiyoshi**: Well how about you three get off your butts and you come SAVE US?!

**Katsu**: You're in my spot Inoki.

**Inoki**: Baka.

**Katsu**: Fine, don't want to move? Try this! Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!


	12. Chapter Twelve: A Daring Rescue Mission

Chapter 12- A Daring Rescue Mission: Squad Fourteen Arrives!

"Get back here!" Akira screamed, reaching into his pocket for one of the shuriken he kept on hand. With a precise throw, Akira forced Kensho to turn and deal with the projectile, deflecting the shuriken with an equally accurately thrown shuriken of his own. Rather than continuing to flee, Kensho decided it was best to go on the offensive, dashing through the treetops directly towards Akira. The Leaf Genin pulled back his Katana swinging it wildly in the direction of his adversary. The abrupt attack did indeed catch Kensho by surprise, but merely by raising his right arm was Akira's attack completely nullified.

The melody arm attached to his appendage connected with Akira's sword, sending sparks in every which direction. The clash created a small flash of bright light, momentarily blinding Kensho. With the Byakugan, Akira was completely unaffected by the blast of illumination and he used his free arm to throw a hook to his adversaries left ear. The shinobi fell to the ground, and, just as Akira was about to deal a finishing blow with his katana, Kensho cleverly dropped a smoke bomb, completely catching the young Uzumaki off guard. The Sound Genin used the momentarily lapse in Akira's guard to throw a powerful punch to the Leaf shinobi's midsection. However, with the Byakugan, Akira was able to see through the smoke and block the punch, using his katana to clash once more with the metallic melody arm.

Something went wrong. A high-pitched noise resonated throughout Akira's bones, jarring him to his knees. Abnormal feelings of nausea and discomfort arose as deep as his very soul and Akira couldn't help but to cover his ears to stop the vibrations.

"Cool isn't it?" Kensho shrugged, delivering a kick to Akira's temple that left him lying dazed on the forest floor. "I wonder how your teammates are doing?"

"They're probably on their way to help me take you down!" Akira scoffed, trying to regain his composure.

"Is that what you think?" the boy laughed in response. "I'm surprised with those eyes of yours, you couldn't tell the difference between your own teammate and an impostor. Do you really think I'd try to take you both on without back up? Maybe those eyes aren't as great as you think they are."

Akira flipped to his feet, making sure to firmly grasp the katana in both of his hands. Again, he slashed his sword, planting his right foot so that he might spin in the opposite direction and deliver another attack. Easily sidestepping the first vertical-swipe of the sword, Kensho ducked under the second attack and delivered a startling uppercut with his mechanical fist. The sheer force behind the blow was almost enough to knock Akira out with a single blow. However, Akira flipped back just as the hit was about to connect, softening the blow to that of a light jab. Kensho had no plans of lightening his onslaught and the young Genin rushed forward, planning to finish Akira off before he could get the chance to counter attack.

Akira's feet hit the ground and the young Leaf ninja found himself just an inch away from Kensho's metal appendage. He knew he couldn't avoid the attack, and blocking the blow was out of the question. He couldn't use his arm to soften the blow and a direct punch from the melody arm would surely be enough to break through any of Akira's bones. He had to redirect it, and he knew only one way how. Again, using his foot as a pivot, Akira spun in a clockwise direction, releasing chakra from every tenketsu on his body. The spinning motion, combined with the outward flux of chakra, created a massive shield of pulsating chakra. Normally used to parry projectiles, the Rotation Technique was more than enough to repel Kensho who couldn't stop his forward momentum to avoid the technique. His body was tossed back, throwing him wildly against a tree trunk. Akira had no intention of his attack ending there as he rushed forward to deliver a roundhouse kick to his nemesis. However, Kensho gathered his bearings just in time, blocking the blow with his metal arm and once more unleashing a barrage of sound waves.

Akira had no effective counter to the maneuver. His only method of defense was to cover his ears with his hands, but the thin blanket of flesh proved to be no match for the high frequency that pulsated throughout Akira's body. He flailed about desperately trying to quell the noise to no avail, and again Akira met with a blow to the jaw, from the Otogakure shinobi's free, non-mechanical arm. The Sound Ninja followed up for a second attack, but Akira narrowly managed to deflect the blow with a kunai that he drew from his holster.

'_This isn't good..._' Akira took a deep breath to think. '_I can't get close to attack!_'

'_LOOK ABOVE!' _a voice roared in Akira's ears. The child looked up, throwing a kunai almost instantaneously, hitting a branch that had been hanging by a thread. It wasn't much, but the impact from the kunai was enough to cut the branch lose and send it tumbling down to the ground below. The falling object caught the Sound Genin off guard, and he was forced to jump to the right to avoid the falling debris. When he trained his eyes back on the Leaf Genin, he found that he was inches away from the sharp blade of a katana.

Akira planned to make this attack the last.

"Wait... can you play that again?" Shikamaru asked, squinting. He was pretty sure he saw something unusual on the tape, but he didn't want to jump to any conclusions. Of course, they were looking for oddities and Shikamaru didn't want to miss anything or to imagine something that wasn't there.

Guy rewound the tape, playing it from the beginning once more. He, along with Shikamaru Nara, Mika Sarutoki, Rock Lee, Choji Akimichi, Shino Aburame, Genma Shiranui, and the man known only as Yamato, watched the video for a second time. Under the Hokage's instructions they were supposed to keep a close eye on one of the children near the back of the room. He didn't seem anything special- short, black hair, and rather slim in stature. Shikamaru assumed it was because of the Rock Village insignia on his headband that they were told to keep an eye on him.

This year, the Chunin exams weren't just simple tests of strength to acknowledge a young Genin's power. The Tsuchikage turned this year's string of tests into a competition between countries to assert their dominance. With Iwagakure only sending one team to partake in the exams, the Rokudaime Hokage was assured that they were going to be the strongest Genin that the village had to offer. It had almost always been against the rules to tape the first round of the exams, but the honorable Sixth Hokage, felt that this year offered some special circumstances. Immediately after the conclusion of the first exams, Kakashi confiscated the tapes and watched the entire hour exam from start to finish.

The tape begins rather normally. Kiba gave the string of rules that are inherent of all written tests administered in the Chunin Exams, and then the test was passed out. Those students who were skillful in reconnaissance began scanning the room with their various talents. The Jonin watched as Katsu activated her Sharingan, copying Akira's every move. Other students used an elaborate collection of mirrors or, in the case of a few of the Inuzuka taking the exam, they used their ninken to harmlessly scan overtop the crowd of shinobi for correct answers. Even other ninja panicked at their inability to answer a single question, showing genuine fear and nervousness. Kiyoshi was among these students.

Then there was this one child, the one with the Rock Village headband. For thirty-two straight minutes, the child sat in absolute silence; never moving to even scratch his nose. After the thirty-third minute, something strange, almost unsettling, flashed for just a mere moment and the child began to work. This time, it wasn't only Shikamaru who noticed. Shino's and Choji's eyes grew wide just as the moment passed.

"Was that..." Choji began to stammer, but Shikamaru had Guy rewind it once more, this time to the thirty-minute mark.

The Sixth Hokage had reentered the room, this time taking Guy's place and pausing the video at the exact moment in question. He had watched the tapes countless time, making sure that he wasn't hallucinating. He had hoped somewhere that some other student had activated a Genjutsu of some sorts, making things appear as though they were not. However, the Hokage, even after watching the full video seven times, could not find any source of foul play.

For just a small moment in time, the child's eyes were no longer their dull, green color. In that small flash of time, the child's eyes were as red as freshly spilled blood, and decorating the inside were three tomoe. There was no way to get around this; the boy definitely possessed the Sharingan.

"Theories," Kakashi demanded. It was more of a statement and not a question. He wanted to know how this child could be in possession of the Sharingan. He was clearly older than Katsu so, in order for there to be a natural born Uchiha with the Sharingan, he had to have been Sasuke's eldest child. However, there was no record of Sasuke ever stepping forth in the Rock Village during the brief period before Katsu's birth.

"It has to be a trick," Mika frowned, stepping closer to the screen. She was far too young to remember Sasuke very well, but even she knew the power of the Sharingan through legend and various stories passed down throughout Leaf Village lore. "Isn't this impossible?"

"...it's not," Shikamaru rebutted, closing his eyes. "Geeze, what a drag. I said it back then that this was going to come back and bite us in the hand one day."

"Spit it out," Kakashi spurned, taking a step forward. For the first moment in a long while, Kakashi was visibly worried.

"Obito's laboratory. After Sasuke told us the whereabouts of the fortress, we never were able to locate the many Sharingan he had stored there," Shikamaru shrugged, folding his arms to show his contempt. "Maybe Sasuke knew this the entire time. Maybe the idiots pulling the strings over in Iwagakure in exchange for a few of those magical eyes."

Kakashi pulled down his mask to reveal his Sharingan eye, allowing everyone to get a deep look at its bright red color. It had been there for almost forty years, helping him in battle and making him the ninja that he was today. He had so much to thank Obito for. However, he also had so much to hate Obito for.

"A transplanted Sharingan eye cannot be turned off and turned on at will," Kakashi reminded Shikamaru, trying to check off useless theories.

"Yeah," Shikamaru argued back. "Like someone can't be transplanted with a Kekkei Genkai or can't live forever by stealing the bodies of helpless victims."

"Now that you mention it," Yamato agreed, noting his own strange talents through the various experiments and tests run on him as a child. "This doesn't sound like Sasuke; he's too proud of his lineage to just hand out Sharingan for favors. Who but that snake Orochimaru could make such an abomination."

"So, who's pulling the strings over at the Hidden Rock Village?" Lee finally perked up. "Orochimaru or Sasuke?"

"We'll deal with that as it comes along," Kakashi shook his head, pressing the play button so that video could continue. "The boy's name is Shin Oyama, and, if he truly does possess the Sharingan, we need a plan for one of our Genin to defeat him. We cannot allow Iwagakure previal."

Shikamaru again posed the greatest plan of action, suggesting that the Jonin should rig the tournament, allowing the strongest Leaf Ninja to take on the foe with the strange Kekkei Genkai that he shouldn't have. Choji immediately pointed to the morality of rigging the tournament, but Shikamaru had an answer to that as well, pointing to the fact that they had already taped the first round of exams, clearly indicating that they weren't above bending a few rules. The only question was, who would fight such a strong opponent?

"Kiyoshi," Guy suggested, his voice unusually calm. Of course, the circumstances called for a calm and level head, but for Might Guy to make such an outrageous suggestion seemed to call for an equally copious amount of confidence to protrude from his voice. Shikamaru was once again going to play the voice of reason, suggesting that Katsu, or perhaps one of the more experienced Genin, would be better suited against such a powerful enemy, but Guy wouldn't give him the chance to speak. "I've spent my entire life thinking of strategies to best the Sharingan. Over the course of the past month, I bequeathed every ounce of knowledge I had on the subject to little Kiyoshi so that he could take Katsu out in the finals no problem. He's the best suited and you all know it."

No one argued. After making such a short, yet compelling defense for his claim, Shikamaru was satisfied that Guy was most likely right. Fighting an opponent with such a specialized set of advantages required an individual with specialized training to take them down. They would set things up so that Kiyoshi would fight the boy first and, if he were to fail, Katsu's own sharingan would make her the most likely of opponents for the Rock Ninja. The duo had the best chance to bring victory for the Leaf Village.

With satisfaction, the shinobi continued to scan the video for any other abnormalities, making sure to pay close attention to the other two Rock Village ninja. With their concentration completely immersed into the screen, Shino Aburame easily managed to fade into the darkness. With what information he had just procured, Shino had much to share with his team.

"Can you take one more?" Kensho questioned, throwing Akira's unconscious body to the forest floor.

Another Sound Ninja crouched just a few meters away, his hand flat on Katsu's forehead. She had a blank stare painted across her face as she stared dully at her captives. The second Otogakure Shinobi placed his free hand on Akira's forehead as well so the jutsu could activate. The Mind Daze Jutsu was a simple technique, using a high-pitched frequency that disrupted an opponent's cognitive thought. However, the sound waves were very short, requiring physical contact between the user and the victim. As long as he held his hands on their foreheads, the two Leaf Genin would remain completely docile. It was the perfect time to search them for their scroll. However, something was wrong.

"Where's Rei?" the second of the two ninja asked, looking up at the other.

"She'll be on her way shortly, Bito," Kensho responded.

There was a reason Bito didn't participate in combat. He was scrawny and dreadfully short, clocking in a few inches short of Kiyoshi. He didn't find himself physically fit for combat, nor did he particularly have the stomach for it. While Kensho and Rei had no qualms over bloodshed, Bito preferred to stand on the sidelines to look over captives. It was just so much simpler. Like his teammates, Bito wore a standard Otogakure Melody Arm, however his face was not shrouded in a hood. Instead, he was clothed in a gray, turtleneck shirt with long black sleeves and gray pants that were slightly too long and dragged on the ground.

Kensho knelt down, taking a good, hard look at Akira. He normally took such delight in watching the blank stares of his brother's victims, but Akira's eyes didn't allow offer such satisfaction. The Byakugan forced a perpetual soulless appearance painted across the boy's face. It was momentarily unsettling, but Kensho found it best to press on, reaching into the boy's jacket pocket in search of their scroll. When he couldn't find the coveted treasure on the boy, he then began to search Katsu, the Uchiha with the giant attitude. For someone who was part of the fabled Uchiha Clan, Kensho felt that she was defeated far too quickly. Unable to decipher the tricks behind their jutsu with her Sharingan, Katsu became quickly frustrated. Her anger was her downfall.

"She should've been back by now," Kensho frowned, unable to locate the scroll. He recalled seeing the other Leaf Shinobi, Kiyoshi, with it in his possession, but, like all things in the ninja world, Kensho wasn't overlooking the possibility that the scroll he saw was merely an illusion. For all he knew, the other two could've possessed fake scrolls meant to confuse attackers. He should've known that those three didn't practice much in terms of foresight. "I'm going to look for her. The plan was for her to take that kid out as quickly as possible... she must've me with some resistance."

"Well, you could say that," a voice rang from the treetops.

Three shinobi descended from the forest floor, sending a gust of wind towards Kensho and his teammate. Bito, in a moment of shock, almost removed his hands from the foreheads of Akira and Katsu, potentially severing his control over their minds. He couldn't move, lest the numbers would shift dangerously into favor of their opponents. He was just going to have to trust that Kensho would be able to deal with the newest threat... yet there was something unsettling about the meeting. The largest of the three intruders was carrying an unconscious Rei over his shoulder. Without care or hesitation, he flipped her body onto the cold forest floor.

Kensho felt it was in his best interest to remain calm.

"And who might you three be?" he asked, never raising a fist. A one on three altercation was not a certainty in his favor, and he wasn't above negotiating his teammate's safety in return for their scroll.

"Squad Fourteen of the Hidden Leaf Village," Shikawa answered matter-of-factly, laying another body on the ground. However, unlike Choya's handling of Rei, Shikawa made sure to treat Kiyoshi's unconscious heap with care. "Inoki, continue taking care of Kiyoshi. Choya and I can handle these two."

"Right," the kunoichi muttered. Inoki dropped to her knees, focusing most of her chakra into the palms of her hand, creating a mystical green glow. Placing her hands over Kiyoshi's chest, she hoped to slow down whatever poison was crawling around his veins. By activating the Second Gate, the Gate of Healing, Kiyoshi had managed to push back most of the foreign agent, however, it had merely postponed the inevitable. Inoki was able to use the basic Healing Jutsu, better known as the Mystical Palm Jutsu. However, she wasn't knowledgeable on the parameters surrounding the Poison Extraction Technique. They needed to find a real medical ninja and soon.

Kensho smiled, realizing that the odds were slightly better then he had previously imagined. Like Bito, the kunoichi had to remain in direct contact with Kiyoshi at all times. Otherwise, it was likely that the boy would perish from Rei's poisons. As it stood, Kensho felt rather confident in a one on two confrontation. He cracked his knuckles and let out a small smirk.

He didn't take the time to make an oral rebuttal. Instead, the Sound Shinobi rushed forward and leapt high into the air, thrusting his fist on to the forest floor. The sheer force of his punch, coupled with the emitting sound waves, created a powerful shockwave, strong enough to toss Shikawa and Choya back a few meters. However, the technique proved rather fruitless, as the boy couldn't follow up with another attack. Kensho was aware that he had to remain between the Leaf Shinobi and his teammate. If they were to separate Bito from Katsu and Akira... He had to make sure Choya and Shikawa kept their distance.

Choya was the first to attack, charging forward with his arm pulled back to deliver a single decisive blow. Kensho used the sluggishness of Choya's attacks to his advantage, easily managing to avoid the blow and delivering a punch of his own to the Akimichi's midsection. However, Choya took the punch on the chin and grabbed Kensho by his shirt collar, using his massive strength to lift the Sand Shinobi his over his head. Before Choya could toss the ninja headfirst into the ground, the Otogakure Shinobi released another volley of sound waves from his Melody Arm, using the Vibrating Echo Drill to unbalance his opponent. Choya oddly felt his strength draining and could no longer support Kensho's weight, immediately losing his balance and almost tripping. The lapse in concentration allowed Kensho to slip from Choya's grasp, and the Sound Ninja was able to deliver another punch to his adversary's midsection.

As he reared his arm back for another blow, Shikawa leapt into the fray, swinging a large fuma shuriken. Kensho narrowly blocked the oversized shuriken with his melody arm, but it left his other side completely open and susceptible to the fuma shuriken in Shikawa's other hand. With little hesitation, Kensho shot a perfectly aimed blast of concentrated sound waves directly at the oncoming weapon, knocking the shuriken from Shikawa's grasp and into the grassy flooring. Shikawa wasn't going to let up, however, delivering a heel kick to Kensho's ribcage. Before he could catch his breath, Choya rushed the Sound Ninja, taking his legs out from underneath him and flipping Kensho high over Choya's head. He hit the ground with a remarkably loud thud.

"It seems we have some sort of... misunderstanding," Kensho coughed, struggling to stand to his feet..

"Oh?" Shikawa said in return, never changing the indifferent look on his face.

"Just give us their scroll and you can have these two back," he smiled, waving his arms in an "I surrender" fashion. "Seems like a fair trade doesn't it?"

"Not precisely," Shikawa remarked, drawing a kunai from a pouch tied around his right thigh. He made his way back to Rei and crouched down, pressing the weapon tightly against the kunoichi's neck. "You see in negotiations, the ones with the most potent advantages make the terms. We out number you."

"But we have more hostages," Kensho returned, painting a smug look across his brow. "And we have the cure to the poison that's circulating through your friend."

"You're overlooking a single important detail that hinders your point," Shikawa shook his head, standing to his full height. "With our numbers, we would have no problem crushing you and taking what we want. As it stands-"

Kensho rushed forward. He had no intention of discussing terms of surrender and the boy jumped high into the air with the intent of delivering a powerful aerial straight to separate his foe from Rei's unconscious body. However, again Choya intervened, jumping in front of Shikawa to tank the blow. Holding his hands up, Choya managed to use his forearms to shirk off the punch, again using his massive strength to grab Kensho and toss him back quite a few meters.

"Leaf Style Taijutsu: Expansion Jutsu!" Choya exclaimed, increasing his midsection to an alarming size so that the shinobi took on a spherical shape. Like a strange machine, Choya's appendages retracted into his clothes so that he literally appeared as some sort of ball. Emitting chakra from the openings of his clothing, Choya was able to generate enough force to spin his body at an immense rate, sending him careening towards Kensho. "Human Boulder!"

Before the Sound Ninja could leap out of the way, Choya bounced, throwing his big ball of mass high into the air with the intent to crush his foe underneath his weight. However, just as Kensho was about to throw himself out of the way of the bouncing shinobi, he found his body completely unresponsive. Glancing down, the shinobi was made aware of the outstretched shadow that was entangled with his very own shadow, trapping him in place.

"The shadow possession jutsu was a success. Go Choya!" Shikawa shouted.

A single kunai caught the Nara by surprise, forcing him to disband the control he possessed over Kensho's shadow. Just as Choya was about to land the finishing blow with his Bouncing Human Boulder, Bito intercepted the attack, using the Melody Arm to create another sound wave. With Choya's increased size, the blast of energy created a ripple effect; increasing the strength of the maneuver ten fold. Choya was tossed back at an alarming speed, hitting the tree behind him like a ton of bricks. All of a sudden, the tides had shifted and the battle became one-on-two. However, even that small victory at the hands of the Sound Shinobi was short lived. They knew that it was only a matter of time before Akira and Katsu regained consciousness. Then the two would again be outmanned. They had to win this quickly and decisively.

"What were you blabbering on about?" Kensho mocked, shrugging his shoulders. "Something about having a numbers advantage? Though it was impressive that you were able to formulate a rather decent strategy without speaking a word."

"Psychic link," Shikawa answered, poking his temple a few times to show emphasis. He didn't see the shame in informing them the secret of their teamwork, as it would've make much of a difference. Victory was already in his back pocket. "My teammates and I know what each other are thinking at all times. For instance, I now know I've already won this battle."

"Hmph," Kensho scoffed. "So confident aren't we?"

He didn't get the chance to speak again, receiving a powerful knee to the back of the head. The boy hit the ground hard and Katsu pounced on top of him, delivering another punch directly to the boys nose. He tried to push her off, but Katsu held fast, delivering one final punch to the side of the boy's skull, knocking him unconscious. Bito tried to jump to his aid, but a thin rope of blue chakra surrounded him, clasping his hands and arms tightly up against his sides. After a moment of struggling, his body no longer responded, and it wasn't long until Choya's enlarged hands closed tightly on the boys sides, ensuring his capture.

"Ino-Shika-Cho formation!" Shikawa said calmly, allowing for an uncharacteristic smile to creep across his face.

Katsu didn't revel in the victory and neither did Akira when he finally came to. The duo rushed to their teammates side, falling to their knees when they saw what kind of condition he was in. By this time, Inoki had returned her Chakra Rope back into her own body as she was confident that the Shadow Possession Jutsu and Choya's strength would be enough to keep their captive from escaping.

"What happened?" Akira asked, angry with himself for leaving Kiyoshi on his own.

They took a good look at his unconscious body, quickly scanning him for signs of bruising or any lethal wounds. With an exception of a few rips of his clothing and wounds that appeared to be made from senbon, Kiyoshi looked to be in perfect health. Immediately, Katsu put her hand on his face; it was cold to the touch.

"Poison," Inoki answered, never taking her concentration off of Kiyoshi. "He should be dead by now. Does he know any healing jutsu?"

Katsu shook her head. As far as she knew, Kiyoshi's only jutsu were the Clone Technique, the Substitution Jutsu, and the Summoning Jutsu. Besides that, she couldn't think of anything he could've done to defend himself from a poisonous substance. He wasn't a medical ninja like his mother or Inoki. Unless...

"The Gate of Healing," she replied, making her epiphany heard. "He can open the first one; how hard can it be to open the second?"

Inoki didn't respond. Instead, she continued to pump chakra into the boy in front of her. She didn't want to alarm them, but her chakra was running low. Luckily her Chakra Rope Technique hadn't been severed or there would've been no way she could've kept the Healing Jutsu up with such a steady flow of chakra. However, there was another problem, one that Kiyoshi's teammates had to be aware of.

"I'm keeping the poison at bay, but it has already seeped into the nervous center of his brain, activating every pain receptor in his body. If it goes on for too long..." she began, but was cut off.

"He'll die from the pain he's in. Wake up Kiyoshi!" Akira responded, slammed his fists into the ground. He closed his eyes as he braced himself for the unimaginable. He didn't plan to just allow Kiyoshi die in that terrible forest. He was going to get him out of there. "There must be something you can do to help him with the pain."

"I can use my chakra to induce a coma... but I'm not sure if he would wake up after it," Inoki responded truthfully. "I-I've never tried it before, but-"

"If we do nothing his fate is sealed," Shikawa interrupted, making his way over with Choya. During the short time, Shikawa had managed to interrogate their captive, learning that there was no cure to the poison that flowed within Kiyoshi. When he was sure that Bito was telling the truth, he had Choya knock him unconscious, allowing for the duo to search him for the Earth Scroll in his pocket. It wasn't useful to Squad Twelve who already possessed an Earth Scroll of their own, but it was a perfect match to Squad Twelve's Heaven Scroll.

"Forget it," Katsu panicked, standing up. She suddenly became far too emotional, throwing her arms up in the air out of frustration. "I'm not going to let you-"

"Do it," Akira frowned, grabbing Katsu's arm to calm her down. Akira stood with the intent to explain his reasoning, but Katsu didn't plan on listening. Instead, she swung a right hook, punching Akira square in the jaw. Akira took the punch, but refused to budge. Instead, he continued to gaze at her with his cold, hard eyes. Katsu could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes as the possibility of losing her childhood friend grew with every passing second, but she did her best to keep her sentiments at bay. Eventually she gave in, allowing for a good, long cry into Akira's chest. No one said anything for a long while, allowing Katsu to compose herself before making a decision. If anyone was to decide Kiyoshi's fate, it had to be Katsu. Even Akira had no intentions of trying to overstep that boundary.

"Is there anyway we can give him a better chance of survival?" she said through her last bit of tears.

"Theoretically, Inoki could join her consciousness with Kiyoshi's. Perhaps with their two wills conjoined they could wake Kiyoshi after the poison has been safely removed," Shikawa responded, looking at Inoki.

"Or it could kill us both," Inoki responded taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She normally didn't get emotional, but Shikawa was right. In this instance, using the Mind Transfer Jutsu to inhabit Kiyoshi's psyche could potentially increase his chances for survival. However, in the event that Kiyoshi didn't wake up from the comma, there was no way for Inoki to perform the Release Seal to allow her consciousness to flow back into her own mind. Even for a comrade of the Hidden Leaf, she wasn't sure if she was willing to put her life on the line. Without waiting for group consensus, Inoki made an executive decision.

All at once, Inoki shot about half of her chakra straight into Kiyoshi's brain, assured that it wouldn't kill him, but would instead put him into the desired trance state.

Then, just as Shikawa put up his arms to stop her, she used the Yamanaka's Hidden

technique, allowing her consciousness and Kiyoshi's to merge into one.

"Done!" Genko shouted, rushing through the doors of the large structure. He was completely out of breath, but he was ecstatic to discover the implication of his actions.

Genko was the eldest of Sonzai's team, and, perhaps fittingly, the tallest. His dark brown hair, which wrapped around the sides of his face with a strange tuff of hair that fell down in between his eyes, contrasted quite nicely with his teal colored eyes. He wore a short sleeved, red shirt, with a brown vest over the top. His pants, which were also brown, fell to his mid-calf, ending just where the top of his boots began. He often wore a pair of fingerless, leather gloves to protect his hands from the various weapons he used in combat. After all, the Magnet Release was his specialty.

The other, unnamed member of Sonzai's team was Suzume, Genko's younger twin sister. While also possessing brown hair that fell to her waist and bright, teal eyes, Suzume was known as the Wind's Prodigy, boasted excellent control over the all sorts of Wind Release Techniques. Despite her proficiency, she had never learned to utilize one of the iconic, Sand Village Fans that Temari had used, but she made due without one. She wore a black, tightly fit tank top and an equally tight pair of red pants so that her Wind Jutsu wouldn't blow her clothes around. Like most ninja, she wore a kunai holder around her right leg and a pouch of smoke bombs on her hip.

There was a single Chunin on the inside of the room, holding a timer around his hip just in case anyone was brave enough to try and break the current record time for the second round of the Chunin Exams. As it had stood, Sonzai's father and the current Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village, Gaara, possessed the record, clocking in at just over one hour and thirty-seven minutes. It was only natural that Sonzai would want to prove her superiority to her father. After all, she was generally regarded as a strongly defiant individual.

"What's our time?" Sonzai asked, her eyes wide with anticipation and excitement. She held up both the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll to prove that their arrival at the center tower was completely legitimate.

"One hour and twenty-four minutes," the Chunin responded, giving them a surprised, but strong look of approval.

"Really?" Suzume said, taken back slightly with surprise as well. She was sure they had lost some time when the boy with the Earth Scroll had tried to flee. It didn't take long to track him down and take him out, but with such a small window of error, she was sure that they hadn't been quick enough.

"Really," the Chunin answered, giving them a slight nod. "That makes you the second fastest time in history of the Leaf Chunin Exams. You kids are fast this year."

"S-second?" Sonzai stammered, unable to believe the words she just heard.

The Leaf Chunin said no more, motioning for the trio to step through a door behind him. They did as they were told and, as they had been instructed, they planned to open both of the scrolls once they got inside. However, when they were in the room and the door had closed behind them, Sonzai couldn't bring herself to open the parchment.

For on the other side of the door was a trio of shinobi. Sonzai had never met them before, but Gaara had warned the trio to beware their strength and to defeat them at all costs. Clocking in at one hour and two minutes was the prodigal Mist Village Team, composed of the Swordsman in Training, Isao and his teammates.

"What took you so long?" Isao asked, shaking his head out of amusement.

It was going to be a long five days.

"Now what?" Katsu asked, propping up Kiyoshi's unconscious body so that he wouldn't have to lie on the harsh ground.

"We have two options," Akira responded, analyzing their situation.

The first was to continue on as a team, attempting to uncover one more Heaven Scroll so that each team would have a complete set and could press on to the next round. As it stood, with two indisposed teammates, each team would be severely disadvantaged in a fight. The extra numbers would make it possible for one individual to protect Kiyoshi and Inoki, while the other three did battle.

The other option was much more viable. Every second that passed hurt Kiyoshi's chances of survival. Each moment that passed pushed him deeper and deeper into the depths. For Kiyoshi and Inoki to survive, the poison that surged through his veins needed to be dealt with swiftly. His best bet was for one team to take both Kiyoshi and Inoki to the tower to have him receive the medical attention he needed. However, whatever team stayed behind would be completely disadvantaged for the unfair challenges that surely awaited.

The question was: how would they decide which team went and which team stayed?

"We're taking the two of them," Shikawa nodded, without a second thought. He motioned for Choya to lift Kiyoshi while he lifted Inoki into his arms.

"Who made you captain of this ship?" Katsu argued, clenching her fists.

"Either we're going or no one goes," Shikawa responded, staring at the other two with his cold expression. It was his mission to win the Chunin Exams for the Leaf, and that was what he planned to do. The faster he completed the mission, the less he had to worry, and he could take his time to rest and heal for whatever challenge awaited ahead of them. He needed to do what was best for his team and, most importantly, what was best for himself.

"Why you little-" Katsu yelled, pulling out a kunai from her holster. Before she could attack, Akira put out his hand to grab onto Katsu's jacket. The kunoichi stopped abruptly, lashing back out at Akira. "You're just gonna let this guy take Kiyoshi and a one way ticket to the final round?!"

"Let it go Katsu," Akira responded. The Uzumaki closed his eyes and shook his head. There was no point in arguing. If they fought Shikawa at that juncture, Kiyoshi wouldn't get the treatment he needed. Katsu and Akira couldn't be selfish. They had to do what was best for their teammate.

Choya tried to argue, but eventually, when he found his pleas falling on deaf ears, he threw Kiyoshi over his shoulder. Despite wanting to assist Akira and Katsu, he didn't want to go against Shikawa. Besides, Choya had his own goals he had to accomplish. He promised himself he would become a Chunin before his mother passed, so that she could see how strong Choya had become.

"At least one of you is smart enough to realize what has to be done," the young Nara shrugged. He turned to leave, but he felt a hand touch his free shoulder.

"If he dies... I'm holding you responsible," Akira seethed, trying to calm himself down.

Shikawa nodded, turning his back on the duo. With Inoki in his arms, Shikawa departed with Choya and Kiyoshi, heading to the center of the compound. With any luck, the two shinobi could travel the ten kilometers within an hour or so. Provided there was a medical ninja on hand, Kiyoshi could have his wounds dealt with before the day was over.

"Why would you let him take Kiyo-chan?" Katsu yelled, clearly aggravated with the entire ordeal. "Between the two of us, the Byakugan and the Sharingan make us the perfect tracking unit! We could easily make it to the tower without running into anyone! We're better suited to protect Kiyoshi than he is!"

"Shikawa's goal is to accomplish the mission," Akira responded, activating his Byakugan. He immediately began scanning the area for any other teams. With the first day almost at an end, they had to find a secluded area to stay for the night. Food would soon become a priority and it wouldn't hurt to find a stream of sorts for water. "As long as he thinks Kiyoshi is helpful to the completion of the mission, he'll protect him with his life. Besides, think of it from his prospective. If it weren't for Inoki, Kiyo wouldn't even survive the trip. She's his second priority. He needs to save him so he can save her."

Katsu wasn't satisfied with the explanation, but it was too late now. With Shikawa long gone, Katsu had to convince herself that Kiyoshi was going to be alright, and she had to start worrying about her own safety. In a few hours the sun would fall, and all the dangers of the forest would be upon them. After all, it was known as the Forest of Death.

**Omake:**

**Katsu**: Hey, today we are going to discuss... what are we going to discuss?

**Akira**: I don't know. To be honest, I'm not in the mood for witty banter or jokes.

**Katsu**: Then... do you just want to talk?

**Akira**: Sure what about?

**Katsu**: I'm not quite sure. We've never quite been alone for any extended period of time. Normally Kiyo-chan is here to bridge the gap. God, I hope he's alright. Maybe we should just call it quits. I don't want to talk anymore.

**Akira**: No, we owe everyone to be entertaining. If Kiyoshi were here, what would he do?

**Katsu**: If I were in trouble, he wouldn't waste his time with this useless thing.

**Akira**: Hmph. I wish he cared about me as much as he cared about you.

**Katsu**: Trust me, the attention can be stifling sometimes. He doesn't let me make any of my own mistakes, always there to protect me when I fall. Sometimes I just want to be my own person ya' know.

**Akira**: I'd kill to have a boy pay that much attention to me. Isao is cute, but... it's nice to know you're on someone's mind all the time. Kiyoshi is one of the few people who see me for me.

**Katsu**: I never thought of it like that. I guess, no matter what happens, Kiyoshi will always care about us.

**Akira**: More like he'll always care about you.

**Katsu**: Are-are you jealous Aki-san?

**Akira**: What?

**Katsu**: You are aren't you? Dobe, you like Kiyo-chan!

**Akira**: Teme!

**Katsu**: You can't even hide it. Your face is getting all red. You were right, I'm glad we did this omake. This is great!

**Akira**: Stop laughing! You better not tell him!

**Katsu**: You're going to have to fight me for it! Come on!

**Akira**: Now's not the time. We can't afford to fool around.

**Katsu**: Nah, now is the perfect time. Come on, I'll go first. Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!

**Akira**: Rotation!


	13. Chapter Thirteen: A Forgotten Friendship

Chapter 13- A Forgotten Friendship: The Pure White Lotus Lives On

There was darkness. Kiyoshi sat alone in some sort of pitch-black room; the only illumination emanating from a single ball of light that hovered just a few feet away. Kiyoshi extended his arm to try and grasp the strange object, but his hand seamlessly fazed through it, as if the object wasn't even there. It was a shame, Kiyoshi wanted to try and move the light around in the hope to gain a better grasp of his surroundings. However, that didn't seem to be in the cards.

"Hello?" he called out, cupping hands over his mouth to echo his voice. "Anyone there?

There was no immediate answer. If there was one thing Kiyoshi learned from Shikamaru, it was to always be wary of shadows. One wrong step could spell a Shinobi's doom, especially in the night. With limited visibility hampering one's mobility, there were no telling what dangers lie in wait, just out of Kiyoshi's line of sight. He figured it was in his best interest to stay near the light source until he could rationalize his location. Still, the boy couldn't keep his eyes open, shivering frequently from the cold.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. Perhaps it had only been about five minutes or so, but with Kiyoshi's rather short attention span, it still felt like he had been sitting in silence for hours. Eventually, the Genin heard a rather soft voice from behind. Instinctively, he jumped to his feet, balling his hands into a fist. Stepping out of the darkness was a modestly dressed kunoichi with light blonde hair.

"Oh, hello," she waved, stepping further into the light.

"Inoki, you're here too?" Kiyoshi smiled, dropping his fists. It was a relief to him that he wasn't completely alone. He tried to remember the events that had occurred just prior to passing out. He could recall Katsu and Akira arguing about something frivolous, but he couldn't conjure up any more recent memories. He just remembered being outrageously angry, but he had no idea as to why. Perhaps once he wasn't shivering he could remember. "Uh, where is here?"

"Your mind," she responded. "It's darker then I expected."

It was not the response the Genin expected.

"M...my mind?!" he panicked, taking a single step backwards. "Where are Akira and Katsu?"

"They're in the Forest of Death, searching for a Heaven Scroll," Inoki shook her head, kneeling down so that she could put her hand on Kiyoshi's shoulder.

"Wait, I remember now. There was that Sound Team and... did we win?" he asked, tilting his head sideways. Inoki explained everything, starting with their victory over the Ototgakure Shinobi, hoping to cheer the boy up. Then she moved onto the poison coursing through Kiyoshi's veins, and their current predicament, explaining that she had managed to keep the boy alive by forcibly throwing him into a comma. With any luck, Kiyoshi's and Inoki's combined willpower could force Kiyoshi to awaken when the time was right. "So...you saved me? Why would you put your life on the line for me?"

"You... you really don't remember do you?" she frowned. Kiyoshi didn't respond, but instead looked toward the light in the center of the two shinobi. It was such a strange mechanism, almost as if it shouldn't exist. This intangible object was emitting a perfect five-meter sphere of light in all directions, creating a small "safe zone" for Inoki and Kiyoshi to sit. Anything out of this small area was beyond Kiyoshi's field of vision. Even still, his eyes hadn't adjusted to the complete darkness that lay just a few feet away.

"My mind is always lit," she sighed, reaching out for the spherical object. "It's because I remember everything. Some people have trouble remembering what they ate for breakfast; I recall exactly what clothes I wore three years ago. It's a blessing... and also a terrible curse. Anything outside of this small area are your memories. Whether you've repressed them, or merely just don't remember them, they all lie just outside this small area."

They sat there for a few minutes, without saying anything. Kiyoshi began to try and amuse himself, thinking that this was the most he's ever heard Inoki talk. She normally sat in the shadows, while Shikawa did most of the talking. It was nice to hear her voice; it was rather soothing. However, what she said was rather troubling. What wasn't he remembering that would practically force her to put her own life on the line to protect him?

'_Why_?' he pondered, racking his brain for an answer.

"You really don't remember when we were friends?" she asked, a look of concern crept upon her face.

"When we... were friends?" Kiyoshi stammered, taken aback by her comment. Kiyoshi couldn't recall her friendship, but it was clear she wasn't lying. The tears that were beginning to stream down her face seemed to indicate otherwise.

Kiyoshi stood, looking back to Inoki once more. As long as he was stuck within the confines of his own mind, he planned to make things right. He wanted to remember when Inoki and he were friends. If they were good enough friends for Inoki to risk her life for his, then she at least deserved for him to remember their past. Perhaps, more importantly, he could remember why they were no longer close comrades.

"Wait," Inoki warned, grabbing onto Kiyoshi's arm. She dried some of her tears against the collar of her turtleneck. "You shouldn't go searching around. Some memories are forgotten for a reason."

He didn't listen. Instead, Kiyoshi stepped into the darkness...

* * *

"Do you see anything?" Katsu asked, moving a few of the many branches that obscured her vision.

Akira had spent the last few minutes trying to ascend the largest tree that he could find. During the night, the duo had slept in the hollowed out insides of a rather impressive tree stump. Now that the threat of night had finally passed, Akira felt it best that they work to find a Heaven Scroll so that they could join their teammate in the center tower.

However, even with the enlarged field of vision offered by the child's kekkei genkai, Akira could not find any other Genin in the vicinity. As far as he could tell, only he and Katsu were in the immediate area. They were going to have to find someone as soon as possible. Perhaps the duo would finally try Akira's initial strategy and set up camp somewhere near the center tower. With their diminished numbers, the duo could benefit from the advantages that came with a surprise attack.

That was when he saw it. At first, Akira doubted himself once he noticed the creature's immense traveling speed. Whatever it was, Akira took note of its great grace and agility as it easily shifted from tree to tree with ease. Even with the distance that separated the oncoming attacker and the duo of Leaf Shinobi, Akira was aware that it would be within attacking distance in mere seconds. With such great speed, Akira thought twice about engaging the enemy in direct combat. That was when he realized something.

"There's a squirrel over there," Akira jested, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Great... I suppose we could always torture it for information," Katsu replied, equally disconcerted by her teammate's previous statement. Akira returned his attention to the rest of the forest, scanning as far as he could see for a second time. Just like before, Akira was greeted by only a single source of chakra. Only the lone creature headed in their direction seemed to wander inside Akira's 40-meter field of vision. Still though, something was rather troubling. How could there be no one?

"We should move out," Akira frowned, never taking his eyes off of the tiny woodland creature in the distance. "Stay on your toes."

"Is everything alright?" she asked, glancing to her teammate with a rather concerned look plastered across her face.

"No," he responded sincerely, his voice rather cold and distant. "Something just doesn't feel right."

Katsu nodded, activating her Sharingan in the process. Despite the Byakugan being sufficient enough in viewing any oncoming shinobi, Katsu felt a false sense of security in activating her own Kekkei Genkai. She knew that, while the Byakugan was capable of seeing further distances then the Sharingan, her eyes were just slightly better at detecting Genjutsu. If there was something strange going on, Katsu didn't want to be left in the dark.

The duo took off in the early morning towards the center tower. While her previous plan had involved joining teams with Squad Fourteen, Katsu agreed that, in that specific juncture, their best chance of survival was to lie in wait for a surprise attack. Running round without a plan was likely to get them killed.

Akira found his gaze turning back to the squirrel. With so little else to look at, it seemed only natural to watch the one interesting creature within his field of vision. It wasn't moving any longer, but, rather, it was standing completely still, staring back at Akira as he watched. Despite the creature still a little to the east of them, it was almost as if the creature knew that he was watching.

A bird landed on a branch just to his right and Akira had Katsu slow down. It was completely asinine, but he just couldn't shake the feeling that they were under a Genjutsu. However, that should've been almost physically impossible. With their eyes, they should easily see through such a ruse, but still... things just weren't sitting right. Katsu would've warned him... Katsu would've told them if they were under a Genjutsu.

Then again, that wasn't Katsu.

"So you've figured it out?" Katsu said, jumping to the forest floor. She wore a rather bored expression, and her demeanor seemed rather lax. Despite the situation, Akira felt himself oddly inclined to follow the Katsu's replica to the forest floor, leaving a single hand on the hilt of his katana just in case. "Well almost. This isn't a Genjutsu, but... well you're still sleeping to be honest. Still, they did say you were a genius..."

"...so that's how you're reading my thoughts," Akira realized, shaking his head in disappointment. Katsu had to have fallen asleep while on watch; it was the only conceivable way someone could've gotten close enough to take over their dreams. "Are you going to let me know who I'm speaking to?"

"What? Oh right," the fake Katsu shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm Masaru of the Hidden Stone Village. Listen, I'm just here to talk to you. After I'm done saying what I have to say I'll undo all of this."

"You and I are done talking!" Akira yelled, advancing a single step. He twisted his body to yank the katana off of his backside, but he found himself completely frozen. For, pressed against his neck was a kunai Katsu had firmly grasped in her hand. With little options to respond to such a bold maneuver, Akira felt it best to slowly remove his hand form the hilt of his sword and drop his hands to his side. As Akira expected, Katsu put her weapon back in the pouch on her hip.

"Smart boy," Katsu shrugged. "It wouldn't matter anyway, none of this is real."

The world as Akira new it began to change right before his eyes. Like some sort of horrible nightmare, the trees began to appear distorted twisting and turning in terrible directions that the leaf Genin had previously thought impossible. Then the very sky seemed as though it was tearing apart and the very fabric of the universe was giving way to some sort of dark void. Within mere moments, Akira found himself standing just at the edge of a bottomless chasm.

In Katsu's place was a young boy**, **wearing a short sleeved, navy blue shirt that fell just a few inches above his stomach, meeting the bandages that wrapped all around his midsection underneath his outer layer of clothing. His pants were black and cuffed so that they landed just above his knees. Unlike most headbands, the boy's forehead protector was worn like a ribbon, two strands of black fabric flowing from underneath his short and messy hair.

"Nice trick," Akira frowned, trying to feign an indifferent attitude. "What's next, a rabbit?"

"Nice, but no," the boy laughed slightly. "Ya' see, my boss...well he wants to come back with me to Iwagakure. I don't know why or what he wants to with you, but hey, that's my job."

"Then why not just take us by force?" Akira asked, putting up both of his arms to exaggerate his confusion. "You clearly have us right where you want us."

"See, that's where all of this... confusing stuff comes into play. I'm not in the business of kidnapping little kids. Hell, I don't even like being a ninja, so I figured I'd level with you. There's some sort of... higher power and he's pretty interested in your development," Masaru said honestly.

"Why are you giving your enemy such sensitive information," Akira said in disbelief. Akira wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. It was odd for an enemy to be taking such a casual approach, giving such sensitive information away without little thought.

Masaru shook his head and a small smile pierced his cold stare. Unlike the altercation with Isao, Akira felt completely on guard with the ninja who stood before him and, when the shinobi knelt toward the ground, Akira felt the desire to strike. Still...something held him back. Something within him wanted to know what the boy had to say.

Masaru took a deep breath, opening his hand so that his palm faced upwards toward the blackness above. Even though they were in a world of complete darkness, something drew forth from the shadowy plain, gravitating above Masaru's palm before shaping into a sphere about a quarter meter in diameter. The strange object then split into five smaller spheres and began to rotate in a circle, just above the boy's fingertips. Then, one by one, the black spheres of mass began to take on the different shapes of the element.

The first became a smooth stone, flawless in every way imaginable. The second formed a clear orb of water that seemed to ebb and flow as any river in nature. The third created a strange orb of static electricity that sporadically shot tiny bolts of electricity from the central mass. The fourth sphere transmuted a ball of wind that spun fast enough for it to be seen by the human eye, almost as if it were a handheld tornado. The final creation was a blue flame that burned hotter and brighter than any light source Akira had ever laid eyes on.

"Because," the boy answered, carefully gazing at the five elements he controlled in his very fingertips. "I know what it's like to be a freak."

* * *

There was a flash of light, blinding Kiyoshi momentarily and forcing him to shield his eyes. When the light had cleared, Kiyoshi was greeted with a rather pleasant scene in Might Guy's Dojo, a large empty room with mirrors all around the walls. The flooring was made of wood and the room was generally filled with boxing dummies and other practice equipment of the like. Kiyoshi recalled that specific day. For that day was the first day Kiyoshi Lee would be allowed to train with his father.

"Come on Kiyo-kun, drop and give me five, just like I've been showing you," Rock Lee smiled, getting down on all fours to show his son the proper pushup position once more.

Kiyoshi, while only about four at the time, mimicked his father's movements precisely, dropping down to his knees. On his first pushup attempt, Kiysohi lost his balance and tumbled onto his side, but, after giving it a second try, he managed to do five pushups. While sloppy, his butt was rather high in the air as it was with most children who tried to do a pushup, his father was pleased nonetheless. Then without being told, Kiyoshi flipped over on his backside, doing around seven sit ups to impress his father even more.

"Like that?" a young Kiyoshi squeaked, looking up to his father with complete admiration and awe.

"Almost, just try to do it without using your arms so much. Imagine-" Lee began to correct, but Tenten burst through the double wooden doors with a letter in hand. She didn't say anything, rather just handed Kiyoshi's father the note, and motioned for him to follow her. He started to bolt for the door, but he quickly remembered his son had been patiently sitting on the floor, waiting for his father to finish his explanation. "Hey, listen. Daddy and Aunt Tenten have to go talk to Grandma Tsunade. I'll be back as soon as I can okay."

"But... you promised," Kiyoshi frowned, grabbing onto his father's pant leg, begging his father not to go.

"I'm sorry Kiyo. Duty calls, you'll understand that one day. Stay with your godfather until then okay?" Rock Lee frowned. He turned his back on his son, and, along with Tenten, the duo hastily retreated from the confines of the dojo.

Kiyoshi hadn't noticed at the time, but standing behind him was none other than the owner of the establishment. Clad in a dark green jumpsuit and a Leaf Jonin Vest, Guy walked over to a crying Kiyoshi, kneeling down on one knee. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder, crying along side of him. It was a touching moment, one that Kiyoshi had long forgotten.

The student whose teacher was too busy to teach.

And the teacher whose student was too busy to learn.

There was another flash of light and Kiyoshi was returned to the present. After a few seconds, a small light illuminated in front of him, revealing another small five-meter sphere of light in all directions. Kiyoshi looked around to see the other nine or so lights that he had illuminated in the past few hours, including the light that had been originally lit when he had arrived. After viewing a memory, another light would shine, brightening up another portion of Kiyoshi's subconscious.

Kiyoshi touched his eyes. He was crying.

Throughout most of his child hood, Kiyoshi never had the luxury of spending time with his father. Missions of all varieties kept Rock Lee coming and going at all sorts of times of day and even kept him busy for large segments of the seasons. Were it not for Guy always being around, Kiyoshi would've been seriously devoid of a father figure in his life. It was upsetting, but he was glad his mother's job at least kept her in the Hidden Leaf Village. And, with Guy's help, he was never really alone... not like Akira or Katsu.

Inoki joined Kiyoshi on her knees, putting her hand on his backside. It troubled her to see him cry, but it was his own fault. She had warned him against searching through his memories. Each time he blacked out, he awoke, crying over some sad moment in his past. As she had said, sometimes things are forgotten things for a reason. If Kiyoshi had suppressed a memory, it was likely because it was one of pain or sorrow. For the tenth time now, Inoki urged Kiyoshi to stop.

"Not until I know what happened," he shot back, whipping his tears from his face. He clenched his fists and stood to his feet, taking a deep breath to calm himself once more. He knew that once he took another few steps that he would black out and the experience would start from the beginning, this time with a different memory that would no doubt be upsetting. He closed his eyes and stepped forward.

He opened them again at the wrong time, as again he was met with the harsh light, forcing him to look away once more. When he was able to open his eyes, he was shown another seemingly pleasant looking scene. He was in a field of some sort during midday when the sun was at its highest point. It was clear that they were far from the Leaf Village, but Kiyoshi could just barely make out his mother and Ino in the distance. They were on their way to the forest where the cherry blossoms grew, no doubt for Ino's flower shop, but had taken the time to pick a few flowers in an open field.

Inoki was standing just a few inches away from him, holding her arms outstretched with what appeared to be a white lotus flower in his face. Of course, the flower couldn't have come from the field; lotus flowers only bloom under very specific conditions not conducive to any area around Konoha.

"It's from my mom's shop," she said, pushing it towards Kiyoshi. "I thought you would like it."

"It's very pretty," Kiyoshi said, moving his face closer to smell whatever aroma was wafting in the air from off the flower's petals. Before he could react, Inoki placed the flower in Kiyoshi's hair, taking a step back to admire her handy work.

"You look pretty," Inoki giggled, petting Kiyoshi's hair.

"Ew, flowers are for girls!" Kiyoshi sneered, rubbing the white lotus from his hair. However, even with his rough treatment, the flower remained in tact, slowly descending to the grassy ground. It looked rather strange, clearly distinct from the pink flowers that grew in the field. Inoki bent over, grasping the flower in both hands before once again trying to fix the lotus onto Kiyoshi's head. The boy jumped back, and, when Inoki advanced to try once more, he took off through the fields. Once again, Inoki followed close behind giggling furiously while she chased her friend. "Stop nooo! Ew! Get away!"

Kiysohi could only pretend to be annoyed for so long as he too was thrown into a fit of euphoria, laughing as he was chased about. A single misstep caused the child to fall and Inoki, being too close to stop himself, she tumbled down on top of him. While she laughed, Kiyoshi began to cry once more as he had landed on a rock, cutting up his shorts and his knee.

"Shhh," Inoki panicked, trying to quiet Kiyoshi down so they wouldn't get in trouble from straying too far from their mothers. She pulled up Kiyoshi's shorts so that she could get a better look at the wound, and took the white lotus flower up in her free hand. After squeezing the juices from a single petal, Inoki rubbed the liquid onto the wound. It stung, causing Kiyoshi to recoil, but Inoki assured him that if he remained still, it would feel better in a moment. "My mommy says that this flower can do a lot of things."

Acting as an antiseptic was not one of the white lotus's many properties. While it did potentially have the capability to act as a sedative, it wasn't primarily used in the way Inoki had originally thought, and instead, the stinging grew in intensity and Kiysohi began to cry even harder, calling out for his mother who was likely too far away to hear. After a good long pout, Kiyoshi managed to calm himself when the pain started to subside. Inoki once again held the flower out, urging Kiyoshi to take it in his hands.

"Father says the lotus represent purity and beginnings," Kiyoshi said, finally submitting and taking up the white petals into his own hands. He stared down at it, anxiously scanning the various curves and bends of each of the petals.

"Like your name. Kiyoshi means purity," Inoki smiled once more, just as a gust of wind took the flower from Kiyoshi's hand and sent it dancing in the sky. Inoki and Kiyoshi took after it once more, dancing underneath the flower, following its various bobs and weaves in the sky. "I wish I could fly."

Just as the flower was about to drop down into Kiyoshi's hands, he was met with a final blinding light and he tripped once more. However, instead of finding himself in a flower filled meadow, Kiyoshi found himself on his knees in front of another light source in the confines of his own mind. Once again, Inoki was there to greet him, prepared to rub his back while he cried. Although, this time, Kiyoshi wasn't crying. He just sat in silence. She had no way of knowing what memory he just witnessed and felt it best to wait for him to speak.

"I remember now," he said solemnly. Inoki's eyes perked up almost instantly, but Kiyoshi urged her to let him finish with the simple gesture of raising his arm. "I remember being friends, going out to forest with our mother's whenever your mom needed Cherry Blossoms. I remember playing together when we were younger... being inseparable... I still don't remember why that all came to an end."

Kiyoshi stood up once more, absolved to searching memory to memory until he found his answer. Although, before he could take a step out of the sphere of light, Inoki grabbed onto his arm, once more impeding his progress. He was going to tell her to let him go so that he could continue, but something stopped him.

"I'll tell you," she whispered, just barely audible to Kiyoshi's ears. She tugged on his shirt, trying to get him to take a seat next to her. "It was a long time ago after all."

* * *

"A freak..." Katsu said rather quietly, allowing the words to roll off her tongue.

Katsu remembered back to the night before the Chunin Exams, when she had spoken with Akira and Kiyoshi atop the Hokage Monument. She had felt so hated, so very much like a monster that needed to be put down. She didn't even know why; it was merely the act of meeting her father that had brought about the change in her attitude. She had gone all at once from living on top of the world, to questioning if she even belonged. She certainly felt like a freak.

The boy clenched his fists and the five elements merged into a single sphere once more, creating a black mass no more than a few centimeters in diameter. Then, with a mere blink of an eye, the object vanished into the darkness, almost as if it had never been there.

"Yeah... a freak," Masaru said softly in return. Katsu didn't know why the boy felt such pain, and, for a mere second, the kunoichi felt sorry for the boy. "I know what it's like to feel shunned... unwanted... I don't want to hurt someone who shares my pain. So, I'm going to ask you this just this once: come with me and I can promise no harm will come to you. You'll be with people like me who can help you through your pain. Orochimaru will give you power like no other."

Katsu had wanted to believe the words the boy spoke, but the mere mention of Orochimaru left a terrible taste in the back of her throat. She reached for the holster on her left leg and drew a kunai, clasping it firmly within her hands. No matter what kind of offer Masaru presented her from that moment on; she knew better than to barter with the devil himself.

"Nice offer," Katsu scowled, poised to strike in just a moment's notice. "But I'm not interested."

"What if I promised the truth?" he interjected, putting out his hand. "I know you have questions; I've been briefed on your entire life. I know about the night your father fled the village and I know how your mother really died. We can take revenge on everyone who's held a hand in screwing up your life."

Katsu froze. The truth about her mother?

Katsu had always been told that her mom had died during childbirth because of the complications brought about because of the premature birth. What more could those around her be lying about? She was tired of the secrets! She was tired of the lies! She wanted someone to be honest to her for once!

With little thought, Katsu threw her hand forward, reaching for Masaru's hands in the darkness. Just as their hands were about to connect, a single thought appeared in the back of the shinobi's mind. She thought back to when she, Akira, and Kiyoshi had sat upon the rooftop, meeting Shikamaru for the first time.

In her life, Katsu had trouble trusting those around her. Even Kakashi would try and change the subject whenever Katsu asked about her parents. With as much as she respected him and cared for him, even Kakashi withheld the truth. However, there were three people she knew she could count on. She wasn't going to betray them now!

She was not an avenger.

She was Katsu Uchiha, a member of Konoha's Squad Twelve.

Katsu pulled back her hand.

"Very well," Masaru frowned; a look of sheer disgust and disapproval burned brightly in his eyes. "My offer still stands. Oh, and before I go, I saw your other teammate about an hour ago. He and his escorts... let's just say I'd hurry to the center tower."

"What's wrong with Kiyo?" Katsu yelled, taking a step forward. "You better not have laid a single finger on his head!"

"I haven't done a thing," he shrugged, turning away from Katsu. "I know he matters to you, even though he probably doesn't care much about you. You'll realize all this soon enough."

Katsu stepped forward once more to continue her barrage of questions, but something grabbed onto her leg, holding her in place. In vain, Katsu desperately tried to pull away, but she had both of her arms forcibly pressed against her sides. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling her chest tighten as she took in a deep breath, and let out a shrill scream as she felt her body being pulled downward into the dark abyss.

"Katsu!" a voice shouted. All at once her body started to shake, almost as if she was starting to convulse. She wanted to shout once more, but she willed her eyes open to see Akira's face just a few inches away from hers. It was clear he was concerned. "Kiyoshi's in trouble... we need to move out."

"Did you..." Katsu began to say, but Akira cut her off once more.

"Yes, I spoke to him as well," Akira answered honestly, shaking his head. Everything Masaru had promised sounded so enticing. He swore Orochimaru could break the seal keeping Akira from accessing the Kyubbi's chakra. He knew that with the Tailed-Beasts power he could become everything he ever wanted. He would be his own man, not as just some vessel. He would finally be strong! "We'll talk about it later. For now, we have to get to Kiyo!"

"Summoning Jutsu!" Katsu nodded in agreement, biting her thumb so that a small amount of blood pooled on the tip of her finger. After exerting a bit of chakra, a small, brown dog appeared, its huge eyes staring up at the duo of shinobi. "Konjou, come on, lead us to Kiyo!"

Without so much as a bark, the dog took off eastward towards the center tower, just as Masaru had warned. If what the Iwa Genin said was true, Kiyoshi may not have much time left; he needed medical attention.

"Hold on Kiyo!" Katsu shouted, her voice disturbing the birds in the trees above. "We're coming!"

* * *

Omake

Katsu: So what's on the agenda for today?

Akira: Well we still don't have Kiyoshi, so I'm still at a loss. I mean, he's the funny guy who writes the script for all of these.

Shikamaru: Hey!

Katsu: Oh, Shikamaru-sensei! We're glad you're here!

Akira: Yeah, you saved us from having another boring omake.

Shikamaru: What was that?

Akira: So, how are things on the outside Sensei?

Shikamaru: Not well. I'd share the details with you, but it would ruin the plot.

Akira: Right, well the story must come first.

Shikamaru: And what of you three?

Katsu: Well, let's see... I was kidnapped, Akira got the stuffing kicked out of him, Kiyoshi and Inoki are passed out in a comma, and we're currently on our way save Shikawa and Choya from an unspecified danger. Am I missing anything?

Akira: Hmm, Kiyoshi was injected with poison.

Katsu: And Kiyoshi was injected with poison. So, we're not doing well.

Akira: I'd say about a zero out of ten on the competency scale.

Katsu: Sh-Shikamaru-sensei? Are you okay?

Shikamaru: Yeah. Hey, I think you two should get going. Seems like you shouldn't be wasting your time, my son needs saving after all.

Katsu: Don't worry Shikamaru-sensei; we have plenty of-

Shikamaru: Go!

Katsu: Wait, what? Shikamaru-sensei, what are you doing with that.

Akira: Come on, she was just joking. All right, we're going! We're going!


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Out of the Forest

**I don't own Naruto**

Chapter 14: Out of the Forest: The Next Challenge Is...?

"How was he able to do that?" Akira scowled, picking up his speed. Just moments ago, Konjou had led the trio close enough to a group of individuals so that Akira could detect them with his Byakugan. From their current position, it appeared as though Shikawa and Choya had been defeated and left for dead with no sign of their aggressors within at least a ten-meter radius of their fallen comrades. Still, Akira's Byakugan had failed them before, showing the duo what appeared to be and not what actually was, and, perhaps as a wise decision, the Genin kept up their guards as they neared the scene. It was possible whomever attacked Shikawa was still in the vicinity, just slightly out of Akira's field of vision.

"There's no way a Genin-level genjutsu should've been able to get passed my eyes," Katsu rebutted shaking her head. "Sorry... if I had been more-"

"No, not that. Did you see he manipulated the five elements? Wind, fire, earth, water, lightning... all in the palm of his hand like it was nothing. No way he's just some Genin from the Stone Village," Akira frowned, remembering how the boy had seamlessly merged all five of the elemental chakra into a single entity. He had to have possessed some type of Kekkei Genkai, just as Shikawa had warned. Even so, if he was an agent of Orochimaru he wasn't to be trusted. Still... he did promise Akira that everyone would know his name if he sought the teachings of Orochimaru. "Hey, we have to talk... about what happened before."

"We'll talk about it later," Katsu shouted, aware that they were closing in on Kiyoshi's opinion. "Kiyo needs our help first!"

"Right," her teammate nodded, continually scanning the area once more. "Dang, shinobi are closing in on our position. Three o'clock!"

"I can feel their chakra... come on we have to beat them to Kiyo and the others!" Katsu shouted, coming to the edge of the trees and reaching the clearing on the other side. They had a battle ahead of them, and they both knew to prepare for the worst.

* * *

Shikamaru watched on in silence, never even moving or calling attention to himself. There was far too much tension in the air for his liking and he wanted desperately to vacate the room, but something held him in the doorway, glancing solemnly into the chamber. He wanted to say something, anything to comfort his friend, but he knew that nothing could be said to quell the feelings boiling inside of Choji's heavy heart. Still, Shikamaru still felt like he had to say something... anything.

"She'll be fine," Shikamaru finally coughed out.

Choji's wife had taken a turn for the worse. Shortly after switching treatments, Shizuka's conditions had severely improved, enough so that she was capable to walk and talk with relative ease. Yet, the current regiment clearly functioned as a temporary fix and Shizuka had begun to regularly convulse while her organs systematically began to fail. With medical shinobi on standby, Sakura estimated Shizuka, if her condition were to remain unchanged, had only about one week to live. However, she didn't have the heart to tell her dear friend that one-week was entirely optimistic. Lasting a single day was far more likely.

"I need to get my son," the broken man said softly, never removing his gaze from his sleeping wife's face. "He should be here."

"You know you can't just pull him out of the exams... he'll never forgive you," Shikamaru frowned, wishing that he hadn't spoke. It was a terrible thing for the Jonin to say, but both he and Choji knew it in their hearts to be the truth. Choya had promised his mother that he would become Chunin before she passed. If they were to pull Choya and his team to say his last goodbyes... "Choji, she'll pull through!"

"Shikamaru..." Choji said, his voice shaky and barely audible. He took a deep breath, allowing himself the pleasure of feeling his chest expand and then once more retract. "Please, leave us be."

"Choji, I-"

"GO!" Choji shot back, transfixing his eyes on his comrade's. Shikamaru couldn't remember the last time he had seen that look. Choji was rarely angered in his old age; he was your typical jolly giant. For him to be so quick to anger was not only uncharacteristic, it was so unsettling that Shikamaru couldn't help but shiver. His friend was in so much pain; it was best if the Jonin followed his friend's wishes.

Shikamaru closed the door behind him.

"Oy, Sakura?" the Jonin called out, putting his hand to his head to showcase some sort of halfhearted solute. The pink haired shinobi had been on her way to check on Shizuka's condition; it had merely been coincidence that she had been in the same wing of the hospital. "Did you find anything?"

Saskura hung her head. Apart from contacting Tsunade, Sakura hadn't made any progress towards deciphering the cause of Shizuka's remission. As far as the doctor could tell, Choji's wife should've been on her way to a full recovery, yet something wasn't working- something just wasn't right. Sakura could do no more then wait for Tsunade to come. Hopefully she, of all people, could decipher what was wrong. Time was still of the essence.

"Shikamaru... as a friend, I want to tell you everything will be fine," she said solemnly, putting her hand on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"But..." Shikamaru shook his head, aware that Sakura had purposely let her sentence dangle so that she might continue.

"As a doctor... it's best to prepare for the worse and pray for the best. Once Lady Tsunade is here she'll do whatever she can. How is he?" she asked, motioning towards the heavyset man on the other side of the closed door.

"He's fairing about as well as we could hope," Shikamaru responded, shaking his head. In truth, it pained the Jonin to see Choji in such a way. Life was full of unfair circumstances, taking good people far before their time. Still... it didn't mean Shikamaru had to accept it. "I'll be back."

"W-where are you going?" Sakura stammered, confused by Shikamaru's sudden change in demeanor.

"For a walk. Listen, tell Tsunade whatever she needs, I'll get it for her," Shikamaru said, turning around to look Sakura in the eyes once more.

The kunoichi could see the tears beginning to well up in Shikamaru's eyes, and figured it best not to press him any further. She knew how much he hated to cry, how he promised he would never cry again after he failed to protect his sensei so many years ago. Even after his father's death... Shikamaru refused to shed a tear. Yet now, here he was, broken and torn, because he couldn't shield his friend from heartache.

Shikamaru turned once more, shaking his head to get a grip of his emotions. Sakura could do no more than watch as the sensei to her child walked down the hall before eventually fading to obscurity as he rounded the corner. She put her hand on the door to her right, giving it a slight push before drawing back her arm. She decided to give Choji just a few more minutes alone with his wife. She would come back later to check on Shizuka.

* * *

Things were moving too fast.

First the kunai pierced through the foliage, catching Katsu off guard. Akira wasn't capable of warning her of the projectiles trajectory, and Katsu was just barely able to dodge the attack. However, not before the blade careened across her check, causing a small cut across the side of her face. She landed on a tree branch and jumped towards the direction of the kunai, taking a complete leap of faith through a few tree branches. Just as she exited through the other side, Katsu came face-to-face with a boy with his arms outstretched. He threw his arms in a counter clockwise motion, using his momentum to spin faster than she thought humanly possible.

"Fang Over Fang!" the boy exclaimed, thrusting his weight towards Katsu at alarming speeds. Again, Katsu's reflexes proved enough to allow her to throw herself out of the way of the attack, landing safely on another branch just a few meters off. The Inuzuka boy stopped his rotation once he realized he had missed. "Hah, you're pretty fast. Still, not fast enough."

The boy pointed downwards, and Katsu, tempted by the boys gesture, looked to the ground below. This time, Katsu wasn't fast enough. Another entity rose from the ground, taking the branch out from underneath the kunoichi. With no ground to stand, the individual hit Katsu with the full brunt of the Fang Over Fang technique. Before she could steady herself, the boy followed up with a second attack, leaping through the air and using a full force overhead strike to send her plummeting to the ground below. However, unlike before, Katsu was able to get her bearings just in time, just barely managing to land on her feet. Katsu looked up once more, taking a deep breath before exhaling a massive fireball towards the boy and his ninken. Just as the attack was about to hit its mark, the duo threw themselves forth threw the flames, spinning once more and completely disarming the fire, shirking it off on either side of them. Once again, Katsu found herself completely defenseless against a powerful Fang Over Fang.

"Katsu!" Akira shouted, finally reaching his teammate's side. He threw himself into the kunoichi so that the two might dodge the oncoming onslaught.

"Will you slow down?" a voice called from the trees. Another boy with a Leaf Village headband, followed by a kunoichi from the same village, landed side-by-side with the already present foe and his ninken. Finally, Katsu was able to get a decent look at them.

The Inuzuka had short hair, frayed out in all directions in a similar fashion to Kiyoshi's. His outfit consisted of a tight, short sleeved, black shirt and tan pants, which were perfect for his animalistic style of combat as they wouldn't restrict movement. His cheeks had strange, red markings that were common of all Inuzuka. His dog, Chairomaru, was rather large, about the size of an adult male. His fur was a beautiful light brown.

The second male was presumably from the Aburame Clan, given his rather modest garb. The boy wore a deep gray cloak overtop a long sleeved shirt and pants. Both were black. The cloak had a hood that dangled down the backside, which the boy could use to hide his face if need be. Like his teammate, the boy had short, frayed hair.

Finally, the final foe was a young kunoichi, just a few years older than Akira or his team. She possessed long, blond hair that fell to her mid back, tied in a high ponytail. Her clothing, like her teammates', was not the flashiest. She wore a light purple shirt, underneath a darker purple jacket. Unlike other teams that made usage of mesh and various layers of clothing, this particular shinobi trio believed in keeping their attire simple so that it wouldn't be a burden.

"Whoever's fastest gets the pray Yochu. Isn't that right Chairomaru?" the Inuzuka howled, rubbing his massive pet in between his ears.

"Shiga... come on, teamwork is key," the girl frowned, waving a finger of disapproval. "Still, it seems you weren't in need of our help."

Akira positioned himself in between Katsu and their enemies, one hand firmly on the hilt of the sword on his backside. Just as he was about to lung forward and strike, Akira found himself frozen in place, as though something was holding him back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Yoshu shrugged, outstretching his hand. Against his will, Akira extended his hand upwards, revealing his arm was coated in tiny black insects. Despite their placement only on the Hyuga's forearm, Akira found his right limb completely unresponsive. It was almost as effective as the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Katsu leapt forward, activating her Sharingan mid leap. She drew a katana, tossing it forward at her foes. Yochu used his free hand to command a wave of insects that acted as a shield, knocking the projectile to the ground. With complete fluidity in his movements, the Aburame executed a powerful hammer fist directly to Katsu's midsection. The blow completely knocked the wind out of Katsu, making her choke and grasp for air when she fell to all fours. Instead of allowing her the luxury of catching her breath, Yochu used his boot to knock Katsu over so that he could get a good look at her face. He would've continued the offensive, but he couldn't help but notice her Sharingan and the Leaf Village insignia on the headband tied around her thigh.

All at once Akira regained control of his right arm, and he rushed forward, drawing his katana and pulling it back to land a critical strike. However, before he could deliver the blow, Akira looked up just in time to see Yochu's outstretched hand helping Katsu to her feet. The momentary change in demeanor was enough to force Akira to stop his attack.

"So if you're Katsu," Yochu said, clearly wracking his brain for a memory of some sort. "That must make you Akira... or perhaps Kiyoshi? It's alright; they're Leaf Village."

Katsu didn't waste any time with formalities. She had already marked the location of Kiyoshi in her mind and she took off in her wounded teammate's direction. Akira, rather than giving chase, kept his katana gripped in his right hand, still wary of the shinobi who stood only a few meters out of his reach.

"What's up with her?" Shiga shrugged, taking a few steps towards Akira. Again, the Uzumaki child tensed up, pulling his sword in front of him, the blade pointed towards the advancing ninja. "Whoa, chill kid. We're not here to fight you. I'm Shiga Inuzuka. The bug boy to my right is Yochu Aburame. And this lovely lady to my right is Hikari Yamanaka."

"Charmed," Hikari bowed, extending her hand in friendship. Akira wanted desperately to act skeptical, but, like Katsu, the boy couldn't afford such a luxury. He wanted desperately to reach Kiyoshi's side and to get them to the center tower as quickly as possible. Still, if these three Leaf Ninja weren't his teammate's attackers... who had?

Akira shared his name as he had been expected, beckoning for the team of Leaf Ninja to follow close behind. Normally, Akira wouldn't have been so accepting towards the help of complete strangers, but, with Kiyoshi's heath in dire straights, Akira couldn't afford to be too picky. At this point, he was willing to accept anyone's help. Perhaps one of these ninja even knew the poison extraction technique that Inoki had spoken of.

The scene was better than Akira could've hoped. From a glance it appeared as though his comrades were merely unconscious. Katsu propped Kiyoshi's head up as she tried to search for a pulse. When she failed to find even the faintest of pulses on the underside of Katsu's wrist, she moved her hand to the Katsu's neck. Again there was nothing. She wanted to push harder and harder, desperately trying to find some sign of life, but Hikari stopped her.

"You're doing more harm then good," she warned, rushing to his aid. Shiga, Yochu, and Akira systematically checked the other three unconscious ninja and quickly found pulses through the undulations of their wrists. "You run the risk of damaging his heart if you push to hard. They must've done a real number on him; if his condition goes on like this... well let's just say he doesn't have much time."

"Crap," Akira shouted, punching the ground. "One of their scrolls is missing."

"Look's like whoever did this took what they wanted and ran with hit," Shiga frowned. "I'd never leave someone out to die like this, even if they were my foe."

Akira looked helplessly at the Heaven Scroll he had just taken from Shikawa's jacket pocket. He didn't have another scroll to give them to allow them access to the center tower. As it stood, Akira now had two scrolls of the same kind in his possession, but it was clear that an Earth Scroll needed to be found... and quickly. He knew just where to find one. Apparently, so did Katsu.

The young kunoichi pressed a kunai against the backside of Hikari's neck. The Yamanaka had been so distracted, checking Kiyoshi's vitals that she hadn't noticed Katsu drawing her blade until it was much too late. However, before she could make any demands, Katsu felt something pressed against her own neck. Out of pure reflex, the Genin threw a backwards kick to free herself from her captor, sending Shiga back quite a few feet. Perhaps out of sheer shock, the Inuzuka lost his grip on whatever he had previously pressed against Katsu. Before she could check to see whatever it was, Chairomaru leapt onto Katsu, knocking her down to the forest floor. The large dog pressed its paws against the bend in Katsu's arms, baring it's rather intimidating teeth and emitting a rather loud growl.

"Off boy," Shiga panicked, putting his hand on this ninken's backside. He had trained Chairomaru to jump to his aid in a moments notice. However, now wasn't the time for such intensity for there was just a minor misunderstanding. For the thing that had been pressed against Katsu's neck was none other then an extra Heaven Scroll that Shiga and company had in their possession.

At the mere touch of Shiga's hand, Chairomaru backed off, resuming his usual friendly demeanor. The rather large animal had frightened Katsu, so it took her a moment to completely regain her composure. With a rather fake laugh and a deep breath, Katsu managed to make her way to her feet and scoop the scroll of the ground. Still, she couldn't help but keep her gaze transfixed on the hound that stood just a few yards away. She had wanted to copy the Fang Over Fang jutsu, but she hadn't the foresight to activate her Sharingan at the onset of the altercation. She would have to remember that could be useful later, especially with her own young ninken in need of some use.

This time it was Shiga to take action. Perhaps he was just trying to defuse the situation, but the young Inuzuka made his way to Hikari's side, lifting Kiyoshi up in his arms. Yochu followed suit, draping Choya over Chairomaru and tossing Shikaaw over his backside. With the tower only a few minutes away, it didn't seem like too big of a deal for the older Leaf shinobi to lend a helping hand to their younger counterparts. Afterall, Shiga had just said only moments before that he would never leave someone in such dire straights to perish.

"I guess when we stick our necks out for someone we really go all out," Yochu shrugged, shaking his head in disbelief. "I hope you know what you're doing Shiga."

"Will you shut up?" Shiga shot back, rushing forward. Katsu wanted to reach out and thank the Inuzuka for his help, but she couldn't gather her thoughts. After speaking to the Stone Ninja Masaru, Katsu was far too scatterbrained for anything to make much sense. She was just going to go along with whatever Akira suggested. And, as it appeared, Akira was grateful for the help they provided. For once, the boy was willing to ignore whatever skepticism lingered within in his mind just on the off chance he could save his friend.

* * *

"W-what," Kiyoshi managed to stammer. His head felt rather heavy, as though he was incredibly tired and incapable of keeping his eyes open to their fullest extent. His arms seemed to follow suit, making it near impossible for the young Genin to raise either of his arms.

"He's awake," a voice rang through Kiyoshi's head. The abrupt noise shot an immense pain through the shinobi's cranium. Still, the child found the will to force his eyes open, pushing through the harsh light that accompanied his actions. After his eyes full adjusted, Kiyoshi found that he was face-to-face with a familiar individual.

She had long, blond colored hair that fell to about her waist. While not normally dressed as such, the young woman dawned the garb of a Leaf Medical Ninja, wearing a long, white cloak, embroidered with the kanji for "doctor" just about her left breast. Kiyoshi tried to sit up right, but another pain shot through his body, forcing the boy to grab his stomach to quell the outburst. Before he could try to sit up farther, the woman put her hand on Kiyoshi's shoulder, easing the boy back into a horizontal position.

"Relax for now," Ino warned. "You're lucky the poison was heavily concentrated in one area, otherwise I might've needed to make an antidote."

Kiyoshi took a deep breath, allowing for whatever pain he had been experiencing the time it needed to subside. When the tight knot underneath the boy's ribcage finally began to soften, Kiyoshi allowed himself the luxury of sitting up. Ino once again urged the boy to remain idle, but he wouldn't be stopped. With another deep breath, Kiyoshi threw his legs over the side of the bed so that his feet dangled just centimeters above the floor. With a quick wince, the Genin was standing on his feet, barely able to keep himself upright.

"Where am I?" Kiyoshi blinked, trying to completely regain his bearings. He had been resting within a rather bare room with just a wooden bed with white sheets. For the first time, since he had awoke, Kiyoshi had become aware of another entity relaxed against the back wall. She was rather calm, her hair tied neatly in two buns. With a slight huff, the woman made her way to Kiyoshi, placing a firm hand on the boy's head.

"Glad to see you awake," Tenten said, allowing a soft smile to peer across her usual stone cold glance. "You're father would've had my head."

Kiyoshi repeated his question, gazing back at the kunoichi's brown eyes. Tenten pulled her arm back, placing her then free hand on the back of her head. She was unsure of how much detail she should relinquish. Giving the boy too much information could force him to severely over exert himself. Still, she decided it was his right to know the truth.

"Well you've made it to the center tower of course. Normally this would be time for congratulations, but you're here under...special circumstances. See, you've been out for about three days now," the Special Jonin responded. "While you've been recovering, seven teams have made it here. Your friends aren't among them."

"What do you mean they aren't among them?" Kiyoshi questioned, taking a daring step toward his superior? "Where are they?"

"Well," she responded with a slight shrug. "As far as I was able to parse from one of the other squads, while they were on there way here they were ambushed. Your teammates decided to stay behind to allow another trio of Leaf Shinobi to safely transport you. As far as I know, they may still be fighting."

Kiyoshi's eyes opened wide with panic. Without waiting for so much as another word, the boy bolted towards the only opened door. Ino threw her arm out to try and catch his arm, but she was just a moment too late. She had resigned herself to give chase so that he might continue with his treatment, but Tenten motioned for her to stop. With look of fierce contempt, Ino could do nothing more but watch as Kiyoshi exited the room, a look of determination cemented into his brows.

"Why would you let him go?" Ino shouted, giving a cold look to her comrade.

"We have no right to keep him here as long as the exam is still taking place," the weapons specialist responded. Without even turning towards the doctor, Tenten calmly walked towards the exit as well, cracking her knuckles while allowing a small smirk to counter her stoic stare. "And besides... even thought Lee wouldn't want his son hurt... he'd be angrier if I impeded his ninja way. If Kiyo needs to rush off into combat to protect his comrades, who am I to tell him no?"

"Smile all you want," Ino frowned, putting her head into the palm of her hands. "While Lee might not be on your heels, Sakura is going to kill me."

* * *

"This isn't good," the girl's voice was just barely audible to be heard. She couldn't gather enough breath to make anything more than a mere squeak break through her lips; the wound from her chest made it so. While the injury itself was rather shallow, it was wide, caused by a distinct looking curved sword with a bronze colored blade and black hilt. It's wielder stood just a few paces away, a stark look of enjoyment and satisfaction engulfed his dark eyes. Katsu could only hope that he would continue to gaze in contentment, allowing her another few seconds to try and regain composure. Still, with his teammates standing on either side, she knew recovery time would be rather short.

"I warned you not to underestimate the Cloud," the first boy said, the look of enjoyment giving way to one of hate. Without any hesitation, he pointed his weapon's blade towards the kunoichi, pivoting his foot so that he might pounce at any given moment.

The team was very polished, wearing dark gray and white colors that were so typical of Cloud ninja. Each wore a gray shirt, with bright white pants stained with dirt and a few patches of blood from when Katsu had sustained her injury. The only variation in their outfits was the length of their sleeves. The girl, was sleeveless, the boy on the right wore a shirt with white short sleeves, and the leader, the one with the curved sword in the center of the trio, wore white sleeves that continued up his arms until they reached the black gloves he possessed on either hand.

"Hayai," the girl smiled, throwing herself over her captain with an emphatic hug. "Can't we just let them go now? We've already noted they have no scrolls."

"Amai," the captain returned, with a bit of force behind his voice. "She's called the Cloud Village second rate, referring to its shinobi and its people as inferior to her own. Someone with that much disrespect toward our heritage has no place in this world. G, let's finish this."

"Been waiting all day," the lighter skinned boy responded, pulling a kunai from the holster on his leg.

Katsu immediately tried to move, attempting to desperately bat away her attackers. However, before she could even draw a kunai in retaliation, the young kunoichi felt the flat side of a curved sword pressed up against her backside. Even with her Sharingan, Katsu didn't have the sheer speed required to keep up with Hayai. He was simply too fast, possessing a speed that was perhaps even superior to Kiyoshi's. With little time to think, and her back pressed against a weapon, Katsu felt trapped as G rushed forth, thrusting his kunai towards the Leaf Shinobi's midsection. Even with the sheer size of her chakra reserves, the almost day long battle had all but drained the child dry. With no fire and nowhere to go, Katsu took the only course of action available.

She fought back!

Katsu rushed forward, taking both Hayai at her backside and G off guard. The child used this moment of shock to side step the oncoming kunai, allowing Katsu to deliver a powerful close line to G's throught. The boy hit the ground air, and Katsu leapt into the air to unleash another powerful blow to the boy's midsection in an attempt to break a few ribs. However, before Katsu could land, Hayai had regained his composure, swinging his weapon so that the blade would catch Katsu before she could land, nullifying her as a threat and saving his teammate. Even still, Hayai's blade never connected with flesh, instead meeting steel. For, at the other end of the blade, was Akira's katana.

"And I warned you not to underestimate the Leaf!" Akira shouted back, using his free hand to draw his second sword. Before Akira could swing the blade, Hayai responded to Akira's appearance by landing a straight punch to the Uzumaki's jugular. His first response was to grab his throat in an attempt to regain his breath, but with his katana still in hand, Akira knew he had to hold his ground. By then, Katsu had thrust both of her knees into G's chest, hearing a satisfying crunch when she had finally landed. Katsu attempted to turn in an attempt to free up Akira, but, when she had finally raised her gaze from G's unconscious body, she found herself face-to-face with a fist completely coated in a blue aura.

"Lighting Style!" Amai shouted, delivering a devastating blow that hurled Katsu into her teammate, sending the two spiraling through the air into the base of a massive tree. "Tiger Fist!"

"Nice shot," her teammate nodded, giving her a small "thumbs up." Amai didn't revel in her short victory. Instead, the girl decided it best to join her unconscious comrade to check his wounds. "Take care of him; I'll finish these two off."

"We should just cut our losses and go," Amai responded, propping G's head up into her lab. "We have both scrolls, what's the point of taking there's?"

"To thin the competition," Hayai responded bluntly. He rushed forth, taking note of their trajectory. From where he was standing, he couldn't quite see the Leaf shinobi in his field of vision, a fact that worried him slightly. Still, he pressed on, hoping that Amai's punch had knocked the duo unconscious. Still, he was confident he could take the two down on his own.

It took only a few quick seconds for Hayai to descend on his pray. As he had initially assumed, Akira had been completely numb to the world around him. Katsu, despite taking the full brunt of the previous attack, was still standing, holding a single kunai with both arms. She hated to admit it, but she was absolutely terrified. Still, she wouldn't show her fear; she was far too prideful.

Katsu took a step forward, and Hayai disappeared from her field of vision. Even with her Sharingan, the kunoichi couldn't keep up with the Cloud shinobi. He was far too fast, and, even at her fastest, Hayai could run circles around her. Even then, he had maneuvered behind the kunoichi, pulling back his sword to deal a fatal blow. Katsu anticipated Hayai's movements and swing her kunai backwards. The clash of the weaponry, proved too much for the injured kunoichi to handle. She lost her grip, and the kunai flew a few meters away, landing in the forest floor. She jumped back, narrowly avowing the subsequent swing of the curved sword that followed.

"Too fast," Katsu coughed, falling to her knees. She was utterly exhausted. She wanted to surrender, to have Akira or Kiyoshi take care of the rest of this battle. Even so, she was aware she might've been completely on her own.

"Have you finally accepted your fate?" Hayai smiled, appearing over Katsu's fatigued body. He grabbed onto her collar, lifting her slightly in the air so that her feet hovered just a few inches above the air. "It was fun."

"It's not over yet," Katsu smirked, swinging her arm. Hayai used his free hand to block the kunoichi's attack, noting the concealed kunai kept in her sleeve. Even still, Katsu wasn't finished, and, with a flick of her wrist, Katsu tossed the kunai behind Hayai. He never even knew the paper bomb was attached to the underside of the kunai... that is, until it exploded. The Cloud ninja took the full brunt of the explosion, throwing him into the young girl. Katsu used his forward momentum to lift him above her head, and throw him down onto the ground. In a last ditch effort, Katsu leapt high into the air, unleashing a final Fireball Jutsu on her foes position. Before Hayai could respond, the flame enveloped him, scorching him until the flames completely dissipated. "I think you're the one... who underestimated the Leaf."

"Not quite," a voice rang through Katsu's ears. For, behind Katsu, was a completely unscathed Hayai, his sword down by his side. "You're simply too slow."

Katsu tried her best to counter the blow she knew was about to follow. Though, once again she found herself completely incapable. With nothing up her sleeve and with absolutely no chakra left, Katsu was aware that her time was coming to an end. That was when the curved sword met flesh. However, the sensation wasn't exactly as Katsu had expected.

"Sorry I'm late," Kiyoshi smiled, looking back at Katsu. He had somehow managed to punch the sword out of the air, knocking it to the ground. Kiyoshi used his two-kick combo to push Hayai back, clearing the distance between the two shinobi. Kiyoshi didn't want to fight near his unconscious teammates for fear they might get in the way. He didn't want either Katsu or Akira to be hurt any further. "How did you like my Leaf Hurricane?"

"And we have another combatant," Hiyai frowned, annoyed without how the previous altercation had played out. "And who are you?"

"Hmph," Kiyoshi smiled, realizing he had come just at the right moment. "The hero of course. Don't you know? We heroes always show up at the last minute."

"Hero huh?" he responded, lifting his sword from the ground. "Please, I have no quarrel with you. If you move, I might just let you live."

"Heh," Kiyoshi shrugged, taking the Iron-Fist stance. "Come make me."

"Be careful Kiyoshi; he's faster than he looks," Katsu winced, trying to stand to her full height. She attempted to step forward to join her companion in combat, but he leg gave out, forcing the kunoichi to one knee. She let out a sharp cry, but Kiyoshi couldn't turn to tend to her. He knew one false step could spell his instant demise, but he still couldn't help but wince as Katsu's yelp lingered. It pained him not to tend to his comrades. He put up his arm to signal that she shouldn't push herself any farther. "W-what? I'm still good to fight!"

"Katsu, stay down! Don't you know? When you're in danger, I'll come to your rescue," Kiyoshi smiled. "I'll protect the both of you... until my death."

Kiyoshi went to continue with his heroic speech, but he made one tactical error. He blinked. Within that mere tenth of a second, the Leaf Genin found himself face-to-face with the hilt of a sword. Before he could react, the boy took the full brunt of the blow, being tossed back quite a few meters. Kiyoshi jumped to his feet, prepared to counterattack, but Kiyoshi was smacked back by the hilt of Hiyai's sword. He was just toying with Kiyoshi, and it was really starting to aggravate the boy.

"Is that all you've got?" Kiyoshi growled, wiping the blood off of his nose.

"No," he replied honestly, causing Kiyoshi to take a step back. The question really didn't warrant an answer, as it was merely rhetorical. Knowing that he had something else up his sleeve besides his massive speed was truly disheartening. Still, Kiyoshi had a trick of his own. He just needed to get his hands on his opponent.

Kiyoshi drew a kunai from his holster, rushing forward with his weapon clutched tightly in his right hand. As he was about to deliver a right hook, Kiyoshi felt a strong fist thrust into his chest, sending him sprawling on his backside. Katsu called out to him, to be sure that he was okay, but he didn't respond. Instead, Kiyoshi jumped to his feet, realizing that his normal fighting style would be no use against such a speedy opponent.

The boy crossed both of his arms, taking a deep breath to steady his thoughts. Again though, Kiyoshi was stopped mid-technique, smacked to the ground by the flat side of Hayai's sword. Apparently the Cloud Genin was tired of toying around and the boy lifted the hilt of the curved blade, above his head. Just as he brought it down for the final blow, Kiyoshi clasped his hands on the blade, holding it just a few inches from his face. Thinking quickly, Kiyoshi turned his hands sideways, wresting the sword from his foes hands.

"Leaf Whirlwind!" Kiyoshi shouted, twisting his body in such a way that he swung his legs, sweeping his foe form the side whilst he simultaneously flipped to his feet. He attempted to continue his attack with a strong, downwards stomp on the boy's midsection, but was met with resistance in the form of jutsu.

"Lightning Release: Dynamic Discharge!" the boy shouted, forming the hand seal of the dragon. Just before Kiyoshi's foot made contact, a bright blue light emanated from Hayai's body, delivering a concentrated surge of electricity throughout the leaf shinobi's body, paralyzing him for just a mere moment. Hayai place both feet on Kiyoshi's chest, using his legs to propel the Genin from on top of him. With his incredible speed, Hayai had no trouble retrieving his sword, dashing forward to deliver a blow. Kiyoshi didn't have time to think; he merely reacted to the situation by crouching and lunging forward. With Hayai's tremendous speed, his found Kiyoshi's move to have been truly rash and reckless, but incredibly effective. He wasn't capable of correcting his movements, and Kiyoshi found himself with both arms severely wrapped around his foe's midsection. Now, he just needed to hold on tight.

"Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!" a voice rang from the treetops. Kiyoshi made sure to keep his head down for fear of accidentally being struck with the jutsu. He took a deep breath, hesitant to move as he wasn't familiar with the speed or accuracy of the technique, only having seen it a few times. Still, within the next few moments, Kiyoshi felt a hand on his backside; it was Hayai's.

"I've got him," he said, smiling gently. Kiyoshi took a deep sigh of relief, letting go of hold.

"Kiyo are you crazy?" Katsu managed to squeak, taking a step forward. "Don't let him go!"

"Don't worry Katsu-san," Kiyoshi smiled in response, giving his teammate his typical "nice guy" pose. "It's Inoki-san!"

Hayai reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out the two scrolls in his jacket pocket. With a slight smile, he carelessly tossed them to Kiyoshi, and motioned for Kiyoshi to take a step back. Kiyoshi did what he was told, only to then rush forward in a full on sprint, leaping into the air for a high-speed, jump kick. Just before the attack was about to connect, Hayai performed a very specific hand seal, releasing the technique. Inoki's consciousness transferred back to her own body, and Hayai was able to take control, just in time for Kiyoshi's foot to make contact with his adversary's nose.

"Dynamic Entry!" he shouted, delivering a kick that Guy-sensei would've been proud of. The Cloud Genin was sent spiraling back, landing about twenty meters from where he had started. He was unconscious, just as Kiyoshi and Inoki had anticipated. "CHAAAA!"

Inoki didn't take the time to celebrate. Immediately after her the effects of her technique had worn away, she rushed to the forest floor, placing both hands on Akira's chest. With a deep breath to steady her nerve, she immediately tried to resuscitate her fallen Leaf comrade.

Katsu didn't say anything. She took a step forward, gracious that her friend had come to her rescue... and happier that he was safe. After not seeing him for almost four days, she had begun to imagine the worst had happened. She began crying, softly at first, but her sobs soon grew in intensity and the young kunoichi fell to her knees. Kiyoshi went to comfort her, but his kindness wasn't well received.

"You moron!" Katsu yelled, standing abruptly and delivering a punch to Kiyoshi's chin. The boy was thrown to the ground, and, while his immediate reaction was to yell back, he was honestly too stunned to react. "I-I thought you were dead and-and... I'm glad you're still with us Kiyo-chan."

Katsu rushed to her fallen friend's aid, wrapping both of her arms around him. Kiyoshi wasn't sure how to respond, but he chose, at least in the end, to return the hug that Katsu had administered. She started to cry again, but Kiyoshi had to pull away from Katsu's waterfall of emotions. He grabbed her hand, helping her to stand, and rushed to Akira's side. They had to move rather quickly. Hayai's teammates were likely in the vicinity and they couldn't afford to be found by any other team's desperate for a scroll. They had to move fast to the center tower.

* * *

The room was silent. Eight teams, separated into groups of three stood in silence, staring at a group of shinobi; among them were Kiyoshi's parents and each team's sensei. Of course there were a few other notable Leaf Shinobi; Kiba, Shino, Yamato, Guy, and, of course, the Hokage himself. Each brimmed with pride at the prospective Chunin who had worked tirelessly over the past five days, scrounging and fighting tirelessly for their survival in the Forest of Death. It was a proud moment for the elders.

It was finally Shikamaru who broke the silence.

"I'm... actually surprised," Shikamaru sighed, taking a breath of relief. He was sure to keep his voice low so that only Mika could hear his words. "I didn't think they'd make it this far, let alone pass the first round."

"Well they won't make it much further," another Jonin responded. "This next round is where we separate the strong from the weak. Your rookies have done well so far, but my team is dangerous."

"Hah," Mika laughed. "I can't wait for when Shikawa knocks your entire team around, Reikon."

"If you're done chatting," Kakashi shot back to the Jonin, taking a single step forward to distinguish himself from the group. Kiyoshi and Katsu couldn't help but to chuckle at Kakashi scolding their sensei, but the duo quickly quieted down when they realized their amusement was not well received. "I'm not much for making speeches, but I think this is rather important to say: I'm sure in the forest, you all faced hardships. Often times you were met with situations, scenarios in which you didn't find yourself capable of overcoming. Some of you may have taken actions or done things you didn't think you would've done under any circumstance... things were difficult. However, through it all, you managed to make it here as a team. A wise man once said to me, shinobi who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their friends are worse. Don't forget those words moving forward... we are all friends here. We are all shinobi!"

Kiyoshi frowned, toying with those words in his head. He had heard them only once before, when Kiba had spoken them in the first portion of the exam, but he couldn't rationalize on how truthful they were. Whilst in the forest, Kiyoshi had almost met his death on two separate occasions, by people who were clearly out for blood, people who were in that very room. Still, Kakashi had the gall to refer to everyone as "friends"...

"If my rival is finished," Guy smirked, taking an even larger step so that he was just a few steps ahead of Kakashi. "The third round will begin in just a moment. Firstly, we want to extend a hand of youthful congratulations for all of the impressive young men and women who stand before me. Traversing the Forest of Death is no easy task."

"What do you mean... start it a moment?" said a Leaf Shinobi from Kiyoshi's right. He had never seen the boy before, but he took note of the rather large canine at his side. Kiyoshi rationalized that the boy must've been from Inuzuka Clan, a fact that worried him slightly.

"Normally the next round starts immediately after the five day period is finished," Guy responded, giving the student's a slight shrug. "However, we're giving you all a fifteen minute period to rest. Even top notch ninja such as yourselves can use a break."

Mika was the first to leave her post, rushing past Guy with wild enthusiasm. In one swift motion, the Jonin ruffled her fingertips through Shikawa's hair and gave Choya a high five. Kiyoshi wished that, just for a moment, that his team had such great cohesion, but he shirked the feelings off, turning back to his own sensei who had just begun to make his advance. Shikamaru had a look of displeasure on his face. However, his distain wasn't directed towards his wards; rather, Shikamaru couldn't stand the inappropriate attitude that his protégé often exuberated.

Shikamaru stopped just a few steps away from the Genin of Squad Twelve and motioned for the trio to follow. He had wanted to speak to his subordinates without any watchful eyes or wandering ears. There was a door underneath one of the audience areas that bordered the walls, hovering about fifteen feet from the ground. While most teams had merely chose to separate, taking up various sections of the arena to converse with their respective sensei, Shikamaru led his team to the closed off area, opening the door and shooing his team inside. He closed the door, attempting to be as silent as possible.

"What's with the change of venue?" Katsu asked, raising her eyebrows.

"We don't have much time," Shikamaru responded, raising his hand slightly to keep the others from speaking. He reached into his pocket, pulling out three small black pills. Without batting an eyelash, Shikamaru tossed one to each of his students. "Military Rations Pills. I'm sure you're all exhausted; think of these as energy boosters that should be used sparingly."

"Shikamaru-sensei..." Kiyoshi began, holding the round pill at arms length. "We're not allowed to have these."

"You're going to need them," he responded. "Especially you, Kiyoshi."

"Wha- me, why?" Kiyoshi said, jumping back slightly. He thought, out of the three, that he was in the best shape after he had spent the last day in the hospital. He couldn't imagine why he would be in need of an energy boost.

Shikamaru didn't want to put such a tremendous burden on the boy's shoulders, but it was a direct order from the Hokage himself. Even though Shikamaru would've preferred a more seasoned shinobi to fight Shin, the boy with the mysterious Sharingan, he couldn't argue that Kiyoshi was the one best prepared to take on such a foe. Having received special training from Guy to combat Katsu's Sharingan, Kiyoshi was not only their best hope; he was likely their only shot.

* * *

Omake:

**Kiyoshi**: So what are we gonna talk about today?

**Katsu**: Hey, we're glad you're back.

**Akira**: Come on, we can save this reunion for later. Today we are going to talk about Team Three, led by Reikon Hakanai, a kenjutsu user with three Genin under his wing.

**Katsu**: Right, the first is Shiga Inuzuka and his dog Chairomaru. The son of Kiba, Shiga is next in line to replace his father as the head of the Inuzuka Clan. He's a powerful fighter and a master of the Inuzkua Clan's secret techniques.

**Akira**: Then there is Yochu Aburame, He's a protégé among the Aburame Clan and the voice of reason on Squad Three. Like most of the Aburame, ninja, Yochu utilized the kikaichu bugs to overwhelm his opponent.

**Katsu**: And then, finally, we have Hikari Yamanaka. She boasts excellent chakra control and uses techniques that focus on the manipulation of her own chakra. While primarily a sensor shinobi, Hikari can get her hands dirty in a fight.

**Kiyoshi**: They seem pretty tough!

**Akira**: Oh, they are. We kind of owe them for getting you back here safely.

**Katsu**: Owe them?! They left us in the woods to fight that team from the Cloud while they ran off to the center tower! As far as I'm concerned, we acted as bait so they could get away.

**Akira**: We acted as bait so Kiyoshi could get help!

**Kiyoshi**: Guys, can't we just calm down?

**Katsu**: Speaking of which... Kiyo, I've got a secret of Akira's that I have to tell you.

**Akira**: You promised not to!

**Kiyoshi**: Promised not to tell me what?

**Katsu**: Welllllll... Akira likes y- hey, stop! Get off me.


End file.
